It's a Strange World, After All
by Winged Pages
Summary: Beth died. Daryl had accepted that fact and tried to keep surviving with the rest of the group. However, on his way back from a hunting trip, he runs into that familiar face again. Beth is back, not as a walker but as a living breathing human being! Now she and Daryl start a journey together to discover her recovery and in doing so they form a bond which transcends even death.
1. Chapter 1

**So I'm new to this site and I'll be honest it's a lot more complicated than what I'm used to (though that could just be me since I'm still in the process of transferring stories from paper to computer), but I want to get something up here for starters. I also have this story posted on .com site and I'm going to start working on another Walking Dead fan fic soon. Please know that this is a Bethyl fan fic, taking place after the season 5 MSF. I'm going to do my best to stick to the characters' personalities, which means this Bethyl relationship will move slowly, but I think that's how it would've happened anyway. The chapters are relatively short at the beginning, but get longer as the story continues on. I'm just posting it up here for my own personal interest in fan fiction and I sincerely hope you'll like reading it as much as I love writing it. Enjoy! :)**

Chapter 1

(Daryl's POV)

I saw the gunshot wound. It was still red, but it wasn't bleeding. It was a clean shot, up through the jaw and out through the top. I know I saw her die.

So how the hell did Beth manage to survive? I know I should lower my bow. I know I should probably run to her and ask if she's alright. I kinda want to hug her. But I can't. I'm frozen to my very core. Beth is standing in front of me, alive and _human_, not a walker.

"It's okay, Daryl. I'm not a walker. I'm alive." It's her voice, her words, her kindness. She's still so shy and hesitant. But I still can't believe that what I'm seeing is even real.

"No," I said shaking my head. "No, Beth… You died! I watched you take a damn bullet to the head! I carried you out and you were dead weight!" I can't help it. I start tearing up and shouting loud enough for walkers to hear from miles away. I don't care about them right now.

Beth closes the gap between us. She hugs me like she always used to, a big bear hug around my waist that I really didn't ask for, or deserve. "I know!" She's crying now, cryin' all over me. "I don't get it either! I should have died there, died and stayed dead… But I guess this bullshit world still has some crazy things left for me. I wish it wasn't true. It would've been so much easier just to stay dead. You all could deal with me being dead. Now I just create more problems, more unanswered questions!" She hits me real hard, fists clenched like she's still just barely clinging to sanity. "It's fucking bullshit! All of it! All of it!"

Well shit. Yeah, it's fucking bullshit! Can I really complain though? All this time I thought she was dead, knew she was dead. I wish I could have saved her from all that crap. If only I coulda done something… It would've been better for everyone.

She finally stops beating me like mad woman. She tries her best to look composed, but I can tell she doesn't even know why she's alive again. "I'm sorry. I've messed things up for everybody now. But I can still take care of myself so don't think you owe me anything, Daryl Dixon."

I looked her in the eye. "It really is you…Beth."

She smiled. I have no idea why that girl would smile when she just got done bawling her eyes out. I just gave her a small smile back. Why did I do that? Why the hell should I be smiling at a time like this? "C'mon." I led the way back to camp.

Man… This is gonna make heads roll.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you to anyone reading this. I'm still figuring out how this sites works so I can't see who all has commented to viewed this story thus far. But I just wanna give a general shout-out thank you to you all. :) I know this story is a little slow moving at first, but I promise it does get better, and the chapters will get longer. Just be patient with me.**

**(Beth's POV)**

"It's like... There was the hospital, the gunshot, Dawn, Noah… Then there was nothing. It was empty. I can't explain what happens when you're dying, but one thing I know for sure: Death is no longer an 'out.' No matter what, I'm sure now that nobody really dies. Everybody's coming back, somehow. It's just… They usually come back as walkers. I don't know why that didn't happen to me. Not sure I want to know either."

It was so quiet at camp. We were sitting around the fire… Well _I_ was sitting. I knew Daryl was leaning against the tree behind me, his eyes shooting daggers into my back, trying to purposely pierce my soul. Rick hadn't sat down since I first trailed Daryl into camp. Everyone's jaw dropped. They were speechless, which was good I guess. I'd rather have them speechless than throwing me out like Rick did with Carol, or putting me down like a walker. I don't think Daryl ever looked as worried as he did then entering camp. God, this is just so unfair to all of them!

"I don't understand this," Rick said. "When people die, they come back as walkers. There's never been an exception to that rule. That's life now."

"Well Beth didn't," Daryl said in my defense. "She's here now, and last I checked she was still part of the group."

Michonne started shaking her head. "It doesn't matter whether she's here not or not. She could still turn because she died."

"What do you mean it doesn't matter?" Maggie held me just a little tighter. "Of course it matters, Michonne! She's my sister! She's part of the group! What do you want to do? Throw her out there with walkers? Or take her back to the hospital where she can be held prisoner for the rest of her life?!" I could feel the anger and frustration radiating from Maggie's embrace. What she must be feeling now... I hate knowing that I'm the cause of such emotions.

"No way in hell she's leaving." Daryl couldn't let me go like that again. I can't imagine how much it must have hurt him to carry my lifeless body out, to watch me die the same way we kill people turning into walkers. There's no way he'd let me leave. I owe him so much. I have to be strong, for him at least.

"It's still me, Michonne. I'm still Beth." I look at everyone in the camp. Some of them I've only just met. They don't know me. They would rather have me thrown out, I'm sure, because they're scared of me.

I'm scared of myself too, though, not knowing why I'm here or how I can possibly be alive like this. But being with the group again makes me feel like there's still something worth living for- people that I care about.

Rick held his head in his hands. He looks worse every time I see him. He looked away from the rest of the camp and said, "Beth's right. It's still her. We can't leave her. She's part of the group just as she's always been."

I smiled. "Rick, thank you…"

"So we'll keep her under constant watch in the camp until we figure out what else to do with her."

My heart just stopped beating. Daryl's pleading with Rick, but so is Michonne. I don't understand what they're saying though, because I feel like I want to cry again. I can't cry. I don't have the right to cry when I caused everyone else to cry first. Instead, I stand and walk over to Rick. "Thank you," I said, giving him a nod. Then I just walked away. After causing them so much grief, I can only make it up to them by letting the group decide what course of action to take.

I pick a spot on the outer edge of camp, near the line of tin cans set up for walkers. I think this used to be an old peach farm. It smells nice.

I hear footsteps behind me. Is it Maggie or Daryl? I turn and see my sister standing above me, looking down at me. "You won't be leaving. I'm sure Rick will change his mind. You're part of the group, and you're my sister. So…" She paused looking back at the campfire. Sasha and Tyreese were looking at me now. Their eyes showed doubt and fear of me. There was a preacher guy too, whose name I didn't know yet. He was flipping through his Bible like some crazy person. It hurt a lot, but I couldn't let it show. I had to prove I was worthy of being part of this group again.

"Until we figure this out, me and Daryl are going to be your guards. Beth, you can't trust anyone else. They all think you're just another walker, but you're not. You belong with us. Okay?"

"Okay," I said. Yes, I wanted to belong again.

Besides, I needed their help to figure out what the hell happened to me. I can't, and don't want to find out alone.


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks to my fellow reviewers and followers! You're wonderful people with wonderful comments! In this chapter I try to show more of how Beth impacted Daryl's immediate decisions after she was taken, how he really felt while she was gone. It's the first real Bethyl chapter in the story, though it involves more conflict than romance or mushy stuff. All part of their growing relationship. :) Happy reading! Comments welcome! **

**(Daryl's POV)**

She shouldn't be so accepting of this situation. It's just bullshit. Rick is out of his God damned mind. She's tough, though. She can take care of herself. So why should I be worried? Still am though.

"Keep tracking." I pointed to the ground where there're faint signs of a dear, a couple hours old at least though. Gonna be tough to find. "You're rusty. Need to get better at it."

"I'll be fine once I get going again. You won't need to follow me around forever, you know."

For some reason, the thought of _not following_ her around made me slightly uneasy.

"It's just until we can figure things out. Once Rick changes his mind…" I really don't know what to say next. Never been good at conversations with people like Beth who were always so cheery and easy to talk to.

We stop so suddenly. She looked at me, big eyes... They were just a perfect shade of blue, not so harsh like mine always are. If she's expecting me to finish my sentence though it's wasted thinking. I'm no good at talkin' to people.

"I know you and Maggie feel like you need to protect me." Her eyes were deadlocked with mine. They were fierce. Stubborn. "But it's alright. You said so back at the golf club; I can take care of myself."

"Mhmm. Right. But you're still not tracking. Get going." Truthfully I couldn't give a shit about tracking right now. I just watched Beth like a hawk. I didn't let her out of my sight. I couldn't. It's too dangerous just leaving her out alone, not with the rest of the group hatin' her so much.

I heard her sigh. I can't imagine how frustrating it is to know your group is scared of you. Well, actually maybe I can. Everyone was scared of Merle, so what did they think of me? I shook my head and continued walking, not really paying attention to the tracks. That's her job right now anyway.

"By the way, I never did thank you for that night at the funeral home."

I shrug. Grunt. _Typical Dixon! You got no clue what to say or what to do. Ass._

"Don't do that."

"Do what?"

"Shrug it off like it's no big deal to me. It's a _very big_ deal."

"Needed done. What else were we gonna do? Fight them off together when you could barely stand?"

"Yes."

I shook my head. That wouldn't have worked at all. Still…

"Did you ever go back? To the funeral home, I mean. Did you find the people who had the stash there?"

I paused, looking at her. She's talking about the night she was taken and wants to know if I ever went back to that place? "Hell no. It was overrun." And I was busy looking for her, running down that car that took her away. but I didn't look hard enough. When I was alone, without Beth, I crumpled to the ground and just sat on my fuckin' ass, waiting to see if by some fuckin' miracle the car drove by again. i was a useless piece of shit to her, but I didn't wanna be no more.

"They could still be alive. Maybe they got rid of the walkers and took back the place, made it safe again."

"I doubt it."

"What happened to your belief in good people? They could still be out there." She was standing in front of me now, blocking the tracks. What the hell, Beth?

"I dunno." I shrug.

"Like hell you don't. Tell me what happened after the funeral home. What happened?" She just wants me to spill out everything, but that doesn't work with a Dixon. It's worthless in this world anyways, having a big cry fest and bear hugs and then tryin' to act like none of that shit ever happened! How do I tell her I ran for two days to try to catch up then just gave up? How do I tell her I joined up with a bunch of assholes who thought she messed with my head, who claimed her in their minds as a piece of meat? How do I say anythin'? I don't even know what kinda shit I'm feeling right now but it sure as hell ain't something I want everyone else to feel and have some big pity party over!

I heard crackling on the tree behind Beth. Signature squirrel claws scurrying back and forth looking for shit to eat when there ain't none. I raised my crossbow and crept towards the tree. "You wanna know what happened to good people?" I fire. Head shot. Dinner. As I pull the bolt out, I look at Beth with a mix of anger and resentment. "They all died with you. Good people always die."

I walk back to camp, stupid squirrel in hand. Not sure if she's following. Don't fucking care right now either.


	4. Chapter 4

**Thank you to all my wonderful reviewers! :) It's nice to see others love my story as much as I do. **

**So to spice things up a bit, I decided it was time some ZA action. Just sayin', it has to happen eventually. Also, what's going on in Beth's head? ;) I had lots of ideas about where I wanted this story to head so I hope I picked the right course. This is a short, solemn chapter, but it kinda sets the more sci-fi/mysterious tone that carries on through the rest of the story. (Fear not, Bethyl! Your time will come soon enough!)**

**(Beth's POV)**

He just walked away, or more like stormed away. Did he blame me for putting him in such a chaotic situation within the group? I hope not. I hate the idea of Daryl being angry with me, but even if he is I can't just reverse what's already happened. I can only hope there's a reason I'm here, _human_, and make myself useful. I _need_ to make this work, for my sake and his.

I gather some sticks for firewood, just something to keep my mind off the thoughts of Daryl looking after me when we were taking refuge in the funeral home. I think of that night, before we got pinned down by walkers, how peaceful he was. He's different now, back to being hardened and haunted by the world. But I think the most important memory is the part where he told me not to write the thank you note, that we'd make it work with whoever was living there. That meant more to me than the entire time I spent with him. He probably didn't even realize what he'd done to me, how much I really wanted that to happen or how touched I was by his actions. Daryl may not be the typical to outwardly show his emotions, but he still has them and he thinks about them a lot.

Lost in my own thought I barely recognized the familiar moaning sound creeping closer behind me. I spun around. Too slow. The walker grabbed me with bony hands. I struggled against her grip. So strong for a dead woman! It was death, come back to haunt me, meant return my lifeless self to its proper place._ No way._ I kicked her down, listening to a few ribs crack and break. In a past life I might have thought this was cruel, inhumane, but I know better now. She was immune to pain. She was immune to humanity. She was no more than a lowly animal, if that. I felt the handle of my knife and stuck it in her forehead before she hand a chance to regain her footing. The blood pooled around the entrance wound. A year ago I would've thought it the most disgusting site. Now, the smell and sight of blood are completely normal to me.

I heard branches breaking. Several breaking. Too many breaking for just a few walkers. I crouched in some nearby bushes and squinted my eyes towards the north. Walkers, swaying side-to-side, not even looking where they're walking. There's a whole heard of them, at least two to three dozen. SHIT! They're coming this way, towards the camp.

I bolted. It doesn't really matter if they see me because one person can't take down that many walkers at once. I hear the moans growing more intense. I feel like my feet are flying over the ground as I run, as fast as possible. I know the camp can't be that far ahead. Am i even going in the right direction?

I burst through a bushel of trees. "Run! Walkers!" I shouted, and suddenly everyone in the camp is scurrying to get their weapons, ammo, and load up the trucks. I see Maggie. "Hey! We need to go!" She was whipping her head frantically back and forth.

Her expression is, remarkably, one of relief. She runs over to me with a gun and extra clip. "I thought we'd lost you again! Here. We're not fighting. We're running. Let's go."

We run, but we're not as fast as the trucks. "Get in." Daryl points to the bed of the truck he's driving. I don't know why, but riding in the back of the truck made me feel like I'd been there before. Somehow. Almost like a strange sense of de-ja-vu. The truck is thrown into drive again and Maggie and I only watch in disgust horror as the heard of walkers emerges from the treeline, moaning and trying to catch up to the trucks speeding away from them.

The sun's starting to dip lower in the sky. Who knows how long we've been on the road. I watched the clouds overhead, trying to pinpoint why this feels so familiar. Eventually, sleep finds its way in...

_I'm walking, forever…Just walking without seeing a destination or having one in mind. I'm swaying, side-to-side…Oh God! I'm a walker! But I'm still human inside? No. That's not possible. I try to speak, but it just comes out a moan, like a walker. I want to cry. I'm crying inside, but no tears come out. I can't even feel my physical body anymore. Who's that up ahead? I don't know her. She has a gun in her hand, but it's not like an AK47 or an M16. She fires. I'm going to die. That's okay. I don't want to live as a walker. However, I don't die. I'm numb. I see the woman overhead. I can make out a streak of blue in her hair. She's holding up a knife, ready to stab the life right out of me. But before I can tell her I'm still inside this dilapidated body, my eyes close shut._

I sit upright, screaming. Beads of sweat form on my forehead and drip down my skin. My head feels like it got run over by a freight train. Maggie's there, comforting me like she used to when we were little. She wrapped on arm around my waist and strokes my hair with her other hand. Then I realize we're still in the truck, still driving even though dusk is starting to fall. It was all just a dream.

Daryl knocks on the window. I notice he's not driving anymore, Glen is. I wonder how long I was out of it. "Everyone alright?" Daryl asks, a hint of concern in his voice.

"Yeah," Maggie replies. "It was just a bad dream... We're okay." She whispers the last part. Those two word are a jinx. We all know nobody's ever completely 'okay' anymore.

Still wrapped in Maggie's arms, I try to rest some more. I need it, if only to alleviate this pounding headache that just won't go away.


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey guys! So this is the next chapter. I have it in Daryl's POV for a reason, you'll see it soon as you start reading. This chapter really illustrates the group dynamic and what they think it the most important thing when surviving in their world. Hope you guys enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it! :)**

**(Daryl's POV)**

I camped next to Beth, just in case she needed me. I know she said she could take care of herself, but I can't be too sure. That scream of hers in the truck earlier was more than enough to scare the shit outta me, and it was only a dream. I watch her eat, though she's not eating much. She should though, to keep her strength up and let the group know she still eats like a human being. I heard Tyreese spit out earlier that he didn't think she was anymore. For some unknown reason, I got so mad! I just wanted to chop his head off and then stab it a million times. Why the fuck am I so possessive over her?

I finished my portion, not much but enough to keep me going. "Hey, Rick!" I whistle to him across the camp, motioning for him to come over here while Beth was talking with Maggie. "What you gonna do about Beth? You know she's not a threat. She belongs here with the group, not fending for herself out there with walkers."

Rick sighed and shook his head. "It's not my decision, Daryl. The group doesn't think so. In all reality, Daryl, I know how much you care about her but I have to think of the group, the greater good here. They're frightened by the mere existence of her! Man, Daryl, she shouldn't have come back."

"But she did!" I held back my temper. If Rick was siding with the group, then it was just a matter of time before he kicked Beth out. He was forcing her to be alone, an existence I knew all too well. This was such shit! "Rick, I'm tryin' to see your point here, but I can't ignore the fact that I was with Beth for those months before she was taken…" Don't even know where I'm going with this. Just somethin', anythin', to convince Rick to change his mind. "And in that time I saw her become stronger than she ever was at the prison, let alone at the farm. She ain't no idiot, and she ain't weak either. She fought back _death_ and to me that's someone who deserves to be part of our group!"

Fuck. I've all but said she's Wonder woman, which really doesn't help since Rick and the group already think she's creepy. Fuck. _You just keep messin' things up for her, Dixon. You're an ass._

"I understand, Daryl. The two of you bonded real close while you were surviving together. But it's not just you and Beth anymore. This isn't about the two of you. This is about everyone else... Them!" Rick pointed to the group huddled around the fire. They were all whispering, looking in Beth's direction. It ain't hard to guess what they're discussing.

_Shit. Shit. SHIT!_

Beth ain't gonna last long, and I can't do one damn thing to help her! FUCK!

Rick wandered back to the fire. I can't help but wonder if he would even consider the possibility that Beth wasn't dangerous, if he'd tell the group she wasn't dangerous, if he'd fight for her as much as I would. Yeah, I guess that's the best phrase to describe my actions. I want to fight for her. I just wanna protect her so none of that shit ever happened to her again!

I walked over to Beth. Maggie had gone to sit next to Glenn, no doubt to talk about Beth. I think Glenn disapproves of her too, his own sister-in-law. He wouldn't stick up for her in front of the whole group. If Beth has to leave the group, would Maggie even go with her then, knowing Glenn wouldn't go because he's such a pussy? Probably not. She didn't even look for Beth, just her damn husband! What kinda shit sister does that?

Would I go with her? Yeah, I would. I'd have to. I owe her that much. "Hey," I said taking a seat next to her.

"Hey, Daryl." Her voice was barely audible. She might be holding back tears, which only makes me more of a jerk because I have to tell her the group is gonna get rid of her soon.

"You okay? Had a pretty bad dream while on the road."

"Yeah, I'm okay." She sure didn't seem okay. But I let the matter slide. I just had to get up the courage to tell her the truth, what the group really thought of her.

"Beth, the group…"

"I know." She interrupted me. So she already knew? Did Maggie tell her? "It's pretty obvious on everyone's faces. They're terrified of me, of what I might become at any moment. Guess I would be too if I saw a dead girl walking around."

I can't stand the thought of Beth, this Beth I was with and close to for months, as some walker I'd have to eventually take down. "No way, Beth. That ain't gonna happen. You ain't no walker, and ya' certainly ain't scary neither."

She cocked her head to one side, staring at me with those pretty, innocent eyes. "How do you know? How? What am I then?"

I cna't answer her. I don't know any more than she probably does. I just can't bear the thought of Beth as a walker.

"Hey, everyone! Let's gather around the fire. We have some things to discuss." Rick was motioning us to join the others. I led the way, Beth in tow. I didn't want anyone, especially not Abraham to touch her.I stayed beside her, hovering at the edge of the group closer to the trees.

The faces…They all shared the same expression: Fear. Fear of the unknown. Hard to believe since they'd all but conquered fear these last two years. Had to if you wanna live in this hell.

"We need to talk about what's going to happen if Beth stays with us. We don't know what's happened to her, or what is currently happening to her, if anything. We have to decide whether or not it's safe for her to continue in our group. I want to hear what everyone has to say."

I looked over at Beth's face. There was a single tear falling from her cheek. Rick, you idiot! Don't make her cry! I didn't say anything out loud, but that don't mean I can't think it.

Carol stood, looking at Beth. Since the prison I've come to look at Carol as a strong, lethal woman, hardly anything like she was back in Atlanta. "I'm sorry, Beth," she said without much emotion attached. "But I don't know how to cope with the idea that there's someone alive, and human, among out group who shouldn't be alive, and human. I just don't see how that's possible." There was nothing in Carol's voice that even remotely matched remorse. "If you're here, as human, I don't see why my Sophia couldn't be here as well, or Lizzie and Mika for that matter. They deserved a second chance at life, maybe more so than you. They were only children after all, strong children too."

Carol! That was a low blow! Beth's tears started streaming now.

"Now hold up a minute!" I wasn't going to let Carol tear her down before dooming her to a life of solitude, which wouldn't be so lonely because I'd already decided to go with her. Maybe that's the card I need to play. "If she goes, I go."

The look on their faces…They'd lose their best fighter and only bowman.

But it just wasn't meant to go so smoothly, of course! Rick chimed in with, "I figured you might say that, Daryl. Maggie's considering the same option. If you truly want to leave and jeopardize this entire group, you go on ahead. I leave that choice to you and Maggie." He surveyed the rest group. Slow as molassass they all nodded their heads in agreement. Fucking agreement! I guess that really put my place in the group in perspective. Guess I ain't so important to their survival after all. Fuck 'em! The rage was starting to bubble. Rick didn't wrap this up soon I might not have enough willpower to calm down. Beth and I for sure ain't useless or the weakest in the group.

Rick continued." I think we're all of the same opinion, Beth." He walked towards her, but kept a fair distance away when he stopped. His eyes were dead serious. "Beth, you can't stay. You have to go. You decide when, but there's no negotiation. I'm sorry."

Beth took a shaky breath, turned and ran. I protested to Rick, practically begging him to thin of Hershel, of Maggie, of Judith whom Beth cared for and practically raised as her own! He just wasn't having it. _Fuck you, Rick._ I threw down my crossbow. I threw down every weapon I had except a knife and ran after Beth.

What the fuck happened to this group?


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey guys! So I wanted to get another chapter posted tonight because a ton of you reviewed and were on edge about the group's decision to get rid of Beth. I promise you all I do this for a reason. And the group doesn't completely go away either! They become important later on in the story. **

**I hope this new chapter brings a bit of Bethyl comfort to you as you continue reading. A shout-out to my awesome reviewers brady66, sonya13, mrskaz453, DarylDixon'sLover, JaliceJelsa4eva, heatherrk, and casinovixen081212!  
><strong>

**So without further delay, here's chapter 6! Enoy! :)**

**(Beth's POV)**

I can't believe it. They really don't care anymore. What happened to their humanity? What happened to my group? They don't see _Beth_ anymore... They see death.

I broke out in tears. I had to run. If they saw the tears they'd only think I was still so weak, a further reason to kick me out. I don't know where I ran off to but does it really matter? Exclusion was pretty much a death sentence in this world. Better to leave sooner than later I guess.

It's all just stupid bullshit! This whole world is nothing but a living hell!

I leaned against a tree, trying hard to compose myself. But how in the world am I supposed to stay calm? What's the point of coming back to life now? The group doesn't want me, a liability and a walking nightmare. I totally broke, sunk down to the bare dirt, sobbing. Yeah, I just couldn't give a shit about being strong right now.

Moaning. Two distinct moans that pulled me out of my pathetic sob fest. I'm on my feet, but not before I see the walker's dead eyes in the moonlight. I unsheathed my knife from my hip, reflexes and adrenaline kicking in simultaneously. The one in front of me was an easy kill, but I didn't have enough reaction time before the one behind me was so close I could smell the fresh blood on him. I places my hands on its shoulders being pushes against the tree. Its jaws snapping hungrily for whatever flesh it could reach. I creeping feeling started in my gut. Oh God! I'm going to die, again!

The walker's pushing. So am I, with everything I have. But I'm on the ground now with nowhere to go. "No! Not again!" I scream, as though death is really going to walk away from me twice.

I hear the _swoosh_, smell the ugly dripping blood of the walker as he goes limp on top of me, a yellow bolt sticking out of its temple. Once again, Daryl's there to get me out of trouble. If I don't start proving to him that I can take care of myself he'll never let me out of his sight.

"Hey. You okay?"

"Yeah," I said shoving the dead weight off me. I smelled like death now. Won't be any walkers chewing at me so long as I'm wearing this shirt. "I'm alright."

Daryl just stands there looking at me. In the faint light I can't read him as well as I typically can.

"Sorry, Beth. I was gonna tell you. Rick made his decision a while back."

"I figured as much. Nobody wants to look at a dead girl every morning when they wake up." I gave a faint chuckle, trying to lighten the mood. Daryl didn't think it was all that humorous.

"Seriously, Beth, what're you gonna do now? Makin' it on your own ain't an option. Not anymore."

What was he getting at? Does he want to come with me? Of all the stupid ideas! "I'll be fine on my own. I somehow managed to find you on my own…"

"Without knowin' _how_ you did that. It ain't worth nothing if you don't know how you found me in the first place."

I shook my head. I wasn't about to let the man who cared for me so much those few months we were on the road together lose everything this group had to offer just because they didn't want me. It's ridiculous of him to think he's going to come along. "I'm sure I'll remember soon, or I'll figure it out myself."

Daryl shook his head. He took two steps towards her and stopped. We were deadlocked, his eyes boring holes into mine. What I could see of his face in the faint light was unmistakable sadness. "What's wrong, Daryl?"

His voice was faint but tough, stubborn even, angry and sad now. "It ain't fair. I finally got you back and this shit has to go down. It's like some fucking tragic soap opera!"

I reached up to touch his face. He flinched, only for a moment, but laid then his hand on mine. I could feel the callouses from years of hard life, far longer than just the time of the outbreak. He was so tough on the outside, but I knew his heart, the real Daryl. Nobody else had that privilege. "I promise you, Daryl Dixon, I won't die. Not until I figured out what the fuck happened to me." Maybe swearing wasn't so appropriate at that time, but it was the truth- The constant question of 'what the fuck happened to me.'

"I'm coming you with you." He was so stubborn! But that's what partly what made him strong, in my eyes at least.

But I didn't want him putting his life on the line. Not for me. Not again. He did that continuously for months, and again in the hospital. I think, more than anything, I didn't want to entertain the possibility of losing him. Period.

I shook my head. "No. Your place is here with the group."

"They ain't gonna care if I run off with some girl dead girl! They all but said so back at the fire!" He grabbed my shoulders firmly, to make sure I understood him, which I did perfectly. But I still said no. I can be as stubborn as him too, and he knows it.

"Fine!" He screamed releasing me not so gently. "But if I come after you don't you dare tell me to back off! That ain't something I can do."

I stared at him, all flustered, running his hand through his hair and looking at me like I was in for a world of hell. Truthfully that might not be so far off the mark. Who's knows what I'm going to encounter alone?

"There's no point in arguing. I'm doing this alone. That's how it's got to be." My decision was final, whether he liked it or not.

He just grunted and nodded he understood. "Well come on then, Beth." He held out his hand and we walked back to the fire. I could've just followed him but his hand was so warm. It was such a simple gesture, but if felt strangely comforting to feel my small hand completely enveloped in his. Why did he offer it anyway? Well, it didn't matter. At least I know now there'll be a few people who miss me.

I thought back to mine and Daryl's drunken extravaganza in the moonshine shack. The phrase I'd told him then seemed almost too relevant. "You're going to miss me so much when I'm gone, Daryl. You really are," I said aloud, again.

He stopped. We were just shy of the camp, still out of earshot and eyesight of the others. We stared into each others' eyes like that's all we need to do. There was an unspoken understanding between the two of us. It didn't have words, but I don't need to know what it's called to feel its presence.

"I already did that twice, Beth," he said piercing me with his big blue eyes. "After the funeral home and when you were shot. I missed you somethin' terrible."

I knew I shouldn't, but I hugged him anyway. The amazing thing: He hugged back. He was so warm, it felt so wrong to leave him. But there's no escaping the inevitable. I'm on my own now.


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey everyone! So many thanks go out to those of you who reviewed my work so far, and a special thank you to ****eReedus & DarylDixon'sLover**** for your honest reviews, encouragement, and feedback! **

**This chapter is full of group conflict. Just goes to show where people put their priorities, in their own survival instead of others. A lot of people have asked if I'm going to separate Daryl and Beth, and I have to honestly say that I don't plan for that to happen, and if it ends up happening that way it definitely won't be for a while yet.**

**So read, review, and enjoy! This was one of my favorite chapters to write (writing conflict is pretty fun!).**

**(Beth's POV)**

It's so quiet. Not so quiet that it's silent though. If nothing was alive and noisy, even crickets, it would be a clear sign of walkers, just one o f the many survival tips I picked up from Daryl. No. Simply peaceful and quiet. Everyone else is asleep, but I can't seem to get there.

The inevitable, separation, would happen in a few hours. Alone... I'd be utterly and completely alone.

Daryl tried so hard. He talked to every member of the group for me. That took some courage on his part. I know he isn't the best talker in the world, since he relies more on knives, bolts, and aggressive behavior to get what he wants. I sort of admire that about him though, how rough and gentle he can be while still being Daryl.

But no way in hell am I going to let him follow me. If the journey that lies ahead is as dark as I think it's gonna be, I don't want to put those I love in any danger. I sit up, the morning dew beginning to accumulate on the blades of grass I'm brushing up against. I look for whoever's on watch. Tara, the new girl. Well, I guess she wasn't really _new_, but I'd only known her for a few days. So far as I could tell, she was a pretty good fighter and the group liked her well enough, though she'd allowed the Governor and his people to manipulate her and storm the prison. I hope Daryl can teach her to be strong, like he taught me.

There wasn't much night time left. A cover of darkness was necessary. I had to get going before the first rays of daylight broke through the clouds. I waited until Tara was turned away from me then quietly slunk into the trees beside my spot. I'd picked out this location last night for the very purpose of leaving. Soon as I knew Tara wouldn't hear a thing, I turned and ran, quietly, careful not to step on branches or trip over old roots…everything Daryl had taught during our months in the wilderness.

I probably wouldn't have lived in the hospital or trudged through he wilderness like I did if Daryl hadn't taught me everything he did. I owe him more than i can possibly repay.

_I'm sorry, Daryl, Maggie, Judith. I'm sorry for bringing this down on all of you. It won't happen again. I promise that._

The darkness welcomed me, a very long and very intimidating walk ahead of me.

**(Daryl's POV)**

I woke up to Tara screaming, "Shit! Beth's gone!"

My heart sank. I was up and ready before even Rick was. The three of us just looked at the spot where Beth was supposed to be sleeping. Dawn had just broken through, and it was clear there was no one underneath that blanket. She must've slipped off in the night. Damn, girl! She's gonna get herself killed! What's she thinkin' runnin' off without me? Thought I made it clear I was leavin' with her!

"I gotta go after her."

"No." Rick caught me off guard.

"Why the fuck not, Rick? We can't just let her walk off before giving her at least some bullets and a gun!" I knew it was pointless to argue, but the anger creeping in was to powerful to ignore. Rick trusted Beth with Judith's life back at the prison. Beth was practically that kid's momma! What was so different now? BETH WAS FUCKIN' BACK!

"The group made their call, Daryl. I can't get in the way of what everyone else wants." Rick wasn't totally okay with this, but he wasn't gonna do anythin' about it either! Practically the same damn thing! The fucker!

I was fuming! Before I even knew what I was doing I had Rick held up by his shirt collar. I could tell he was surprised at my actions as much as I was. But I no longer had control. I was seeing red, ever so lightly, flashing before my eyes, covering any other image I may have of Rick. He was practically my brother, my friend, but this was Beth. She held a slightly different place in my heart, though I can't say what that place is called yet. I still don't understand why she's so stuck under my skin. But as long as she's alive and I'm alive...

I whispered in his ear so leathally I saw it sink to his soul. "Beth did everythin' for you and your family... And you ain't gonna do one damn thing for her."

I heard Michonne's sword, the hiss of metal on metal. No, I was not in the mood to tango with her. I took a deep breath, setting Rick down, not as gently as he would've liked though. He deserve to be crushed, being a fuckin' asshole at the moment.

"You're a real piece of work, Rick," I spat. "You never used to be like this! You cared about everyone, other people besides yourself!"

Rick was on his feet. He lunged at me, shoving my shoulders and pinning me to the ground. Oh I was so ready for a fight! At this point it didn't matter if it was in fact Rick I was fighting. I saw RED! I needed to fight, needed it!

"You wanna say that again, Dixon? Huh?! I've done more for this group than anyone!"

He knocked me in the gut. I attempted to break his nose, but unfortunately, he used to be a cop. He used to wrestle idiots like me every fucking day. Guess I also had to think that Rick was still part of our group, still in charge, and part of me just really didn't wanna mess him up too much. He still had me pinned to the ground. Shit! I just wanted to get to Beth, now that it was probably a good few hours since she left. She needed me and I sure as hell wasn't about to let her die again because I couldn't protect her, 'cuz I got held up by one of our damned group members!

Rick was holding me down, talkin' to me, but I couldn't make out the words. "…go with her…That's fine... your choice..."

He eased up. I all but threw him backwards, straight to the dirt, scrambling to my feet. "Yeah! That's right! I _wanna _go with Beth! I don't fuckin' care if the rest of you hate our fuckin' guts!" Now I pointed to every other shit head looking at me. They were all good for nothins if they hated Beth this much, if they were okay to just let her die out there.

_Clear your fuckin', over emotional head. Just let it go and track down Beth._

I evened out my tone before speaking to Rick, helping him off the ground. He deserved that much, but not much more. I ain't that forgivin'. What was I thinking just fighting him like that? Probably because he just pissed me off so damn much right now! Emotions. They were killer bitches. "I'm sorry, Rick. I gotta go." Eye contact. I needed him to understand that I cared about Beth enough to _not_ let her die, again. "I'm really sorry, man, but this is something I gotta do."

Rick stared for a moment, sighed and then gave a nod of approval. He clearly didn't like it, but I don't give a shit. I quickly gathered up my shit, listening to the rising voices in the background.

"You can't be serious, Rick!" Carol was clearly furious. She needed to chill. "We don't know if that's still the sweet little Beth we all knew and loved. Anything could've happened to her during the time between the hospital and now! We can't take chances having her in our group because we don't _know_ _anything_ about what's happened! And now you wanna sacrifice _Daryl_ to go out there and get her? For what? So we can have another mouth to feed and another person to look after? Carol was shaking her head. "I just don't think she's all that worth it. If any sacrifice has to be made, let it be her, _not Daryl_."

Dammit! This was so deep in shit I might start goin' crazy.

"You don't get it, Carol" I said not lookin' at her. If I did, pretty sure I'd lose it. "This is something I need to do. Not just for Beth. For myself. You just wouldn't understand." I grit me teeth, trying to maintain composure. Rick has given me the choice to leave, so yeah, of course I'm goin' after her!

I looked at Maggie briefly. "You comin' too?"

She didn't make eye contact. _Well fuck you, Maggie!_ I already knew what her answer was gonna be. Rick gave her the okay to leave with Beth days ago, but she never flat out said she was goin' with her. Maggie... Some older sister!

_Well she's got Glenn. Guess in her mind that makes her world complete. Doesn't even need her sister anymore, does she? Bitch._

I looked over at the rest of the group. _This might be the last time I see them._ Strangely, at the moment I feel like that's okay. I needed to find Beth soon cuz' I sure as hell hate bein' alone. Even in a group like this, the same group I've had since Atlanta, I still feel so God damn alone! I glanced at baby Judith, though she was about year old and not much of a baby anymore. The Lil' Asskicker. I finally looked back to Rick, a nod of understanding crossing his features. I knew it wasn't an easy choice for him, letting me go. Maybe some part of him could just...tell that I had to...that I really needed Beth to be okay. I do. I need her!_ Huh. Guess I care about her more than I figured._

No use wasting daylight. I picked up Beth's trail fairly easily and started trackin'. _I will find you, Beth Greene. You don't have to be alone._


	8. Chapter 8

**This chapter and the next were my two favorite chapters to write. They're also the longest thus far. **

**Let me know what you think! :) Special thanks to all my loyal followers and commentators! Enjoy!**

**Chapter 8**

**(Beth's POV)**

How long have I been walking? I don't really know. Time doesn't seem to matter much anymore. I just know I can't stop. I have to get as far away as possible before everyone else in the group wakes up. Tara's bound to have noticed by now and she's probably informed Rick. It doesn't take Daryl too long to catch onto a trail so…

Oh God. He's probably already tracking me! _If_ he's tracking me. He may not be. But then again, that look in his eye last night... I've never seen it before. We spent a lot of nights together, just him and I, but I've never seen it till now. It looked like sadness, real sadness, like he was losing something precious to him.

_Am I that important to Daryl? _The thought made my heart flutter just a bit.

Wait. This was Daryl. Could those few months without me have changed him that much? I mean, he's a tough guy, but perhaps underneath that hard exterior, wrapped in those rough calloused hands I felt, he has a soft spot. If he was tracking me, _big if_, then what if that soft spot is...

NO! I shook my head. There was no way. This was Daryl Dixon after all...and the end of the damn world! I don't have any right to thoughts like those anymore. No one does.

Keep going. Keep sun was getting higher in the sky. It had to be almost ten o'clock by now. Yeah... If Daryl is in fact tracking me he's bound to have caught my trail by now.

I heard the familiar babble of a stream up ahead. I figured I should grab some water and fill my canteen while I had the chance. You never know when the Georgia heat will get to you.

I thought back to the time Daryl and I shared my first real drink together, moonshine in some shack out in the middle of nowhere. That was something, a precious memory shared between two people, both broken in some way. He confided in me, after throwing a huge fit and sticking a walker with bolts just for fun and making everything that went down at the prison his fault. He shouldered so much blame. Probably still did It wasn't until after he told me I'd already changed that I told him _You're gonna miss me so bad when I'm gone, Daryl Dixon. _He did miss me. He really did...and it hurt to think about it. How much pain my death must have caused him, more than anyone else!

I took a glance around. Nothing but woods and more woods for miles. I'm long past the idea of turning back and heading towards the road. I know that would take me back towards the group. Truthfully, I didn't have any particular destination in mind. I was just folowing blind instinct, if I had any instinct. Should I have a place in mind? But where? No place, that I knew of at least, was safe enough.

Sigh. Anyone else would know. Hell, I'm no quick thinker. I tend to act on emotion rather than logic, though I like to think I'm getting better in that department. Spending time locked up in a hospital with crazy cops really teaches you to keep your emotions in check.

I continued walking, north I think. I pictured going back to Dad's farm, but that was bound to be overrun with walkers. Same with the prison. Same with the funeral home, I supposed so anyway. So what options did that leave me with? None. Zero safe places.

I stopped. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on edge. My skin crawled from some unknown force. What was this feeling? I chuckled, if only to amuse myself...because...I'd never felt so alone before. It was…sad…

Then, in the stillness, I realized how utterly silent it was. Never a good sign.

I darted behind a large tree and waited for the moans. They always came out of the stillness. Had I wandered into another group of them? I didn't see any walkers straggling behind or coming at me. Yet, this tingling sensation on my spine told me something was off about this place, so did the absolute silence that befell the area. So do I run? Do I stay? Either way could get me killed.

I drew my knife. I knew better than to fire the gun in a place so silent. I spun out from behind the tree. Nothing. I spun the other way. Still nothing. Now I was starting to panic. My breathing became exaggerated. I wished more than anything to have Daryl or Maggie with me right now, especially Daryl. He was always there, watching me in case I got in a jam and couldn't get myself out. He was protective like that, and I was more than grateful every time he saved my sorry ass from certain death. He could also manage to keep his calm in any situation. I should try doing that more often.

_Oh shit, Beth! He's not here! Get over yourself! You said you could take care of yourself, now prove it!_

It's so much easier said than done though.

There was nothing. Maybe it's just my imagination then. But this gut feeling…Daryl always told me to trust my guy. It's partly what got me through the hospital, telling me which officers to avoid and which patients were willing to help me out. My gut couldn't be wrong, but my eyes didn't see anything either! Damnit!

"You're not very observant, are you?"

I jumped! I spun in every direction but the source was nowhere to be found! Now I was seriously scared shitless!

"Where are you? Who are you? What do you want?" I kept spinning, knowing this creep could emerge from anywhere.

I heard a laugh. "Really not very observant at all." Was that a woman's voice?

I swear…I know that voice! It's like…some distant memory my brain doesn't want me to remember.

_Ouch. Headache. Why now? Why? Of all the bad times! _I rubbed a finger against my temple, doing nothing at all to alleviate the pain I felt.

I heard a whistle. "Hey, princess! Up here!"

I look up. In the tree directly above me was a woman perched at least fifteen feet in the air. I gasped at the sight of a streak of blue in her hair. "I know you! Where do I know you from?" Looking at her only made my headache worse for some reason, but right now that was a pain I could deal with later.

She was shaking her head. "Your brain still hasn't cracked yet. Surprise surprise… It will soon though."

I have no idea what she's talking about, but she doesn't seem like the friendly type. I pulled my gun from the waistband of my jean and took aim. Not taking any chances. She's seriously freaking me out right now.

She's the woman from my nightmare!

"You don't wanna shoot me, princess." She looked around nonchalantly. She was actually chewing gum and blowing bubbles like it was just some average day on the street! But that gun in her lap, elongated and weird-lookin', the same gun from my dream... Why does anyone carry something like that in the woods? It's obviously not very efficient, even I can tell that much and I'm no Daryl.

"Just lower your stupid gun. It's no use shooting me if you wanna know why you're still alive." She looked at me with contempt, like I was just another "princess" she had to take care of... It was the look that irritated my...the way Daryl looked at me before our confrontation in the moonshine shack. Never thought I'd see that damn look once I left the group! But here it is again, directed at ME! The statement angered me, but I couldn't let it show. No, I can't show weakness now. Besides, she asked me if I wanna know why I'm alive!

"You should know that my sister and I are responsible for your life." She paused, letting the shock of that statement sink in a good while. Was she really telling the truth? Does she know what happened to me? "Is that enough reason not to shoot me? Or do I still need to elaborate, princess?"

Shit! Is this really happening right now? I don't wanna let my guard down. Really I don't feel steady on my feet, the full realization that yes, this woman did in fact know me, though I only vaguely knew her from a fragment of a nightmare. Why should I trust her?

What would Daryl do?

Gradually, and very reluctantly, I lowered the gun. As much as she terrified me, she knew what happened to me in the days following the hospital. That was invaluable information to me, information that could earn back the trust of my former group.

"Good," she said spitting out her gum. I can see she's tough. I can't let my guard down. Never.

"But before we go, does that boy of yours wanna come out from behind the tree?"

I pause. Boy? Of mine? I look around, puzzled by her comment. "I don't have anyone with me. I'm alone," I replied, though she didn't really ask me anything.

She rolled her eyes, scoffed, then yelled, "Hey! You, ten yards back hiding behind the rusty old hemlock! Get your ass out here before I drag you out by your fucking balls!"

God! The girl didn't hold back! She was totally scary!

Then, my heart and stomach flipped inside out, upside down...like the whole world suddenly stopped.

Taking two very cautious steps out from the exact tree she'd mentioned…Daryl, crossbow holding steady, ready at any moment for a kill shot.

I couldn't be more happy to see him. It was like the loneliness disappeared. My heart fluttered...again. I felt tears, but rapidly blinked them away. No was no time for crybaby Beth to come out.

"Good boy," said the woman as she climbed down the tree. She landed not even two steps in front of me. She just kept talking, like Daryl's crossbow aimed right between her eyes didn't faze her in the slightest. "I'd only planned on taking _Beth_ to see my sister, but since you've been tracking her for the last hour I guess my sister and I will just have to deal with you."

She slung the gun, which was _huge_ upon closer inspection and different from any gun I've ever seen before, over her shoulder and motioned us to follower her.

I looked at Daryl. He didn't budge.

"Oh my fucking God! Are you coming or am I really gonna have to drag you?" She seemed to be a very impatient person.

I could tell Daryl didn't trust her, and neither did I for that matter, but it's not like I could refuse the very information I set out to search for in the first place. She was giving it to me, _to us_ now, freely, provided we simply go see her sister, whoever that woman was. If my headache was right, this 'sister' was also another important figure.

"Daryl," I whispered, stepping closer to him, "I don't trust her either, but I don't have much of a choice here. Please...Just trust me judgement, for once." I was practically asking him to go against every instinct in his body! But Daryl was _here_ now, _with me_! I never thought seeing him again would make me feel so...complete? Was that the feeling?

He looked at me. There was that look in his eye again, protector Daryl. "I know," he said gruffly and started walking, clearly not happy about the unfortunate change in leadership. I followed closely behind.

"I'm just glad you're okay and you didn't run into her before I got to you."

I smiled. "Yeah. Thanks." I meant it, with every fiber of my being.

**End Notes: YAY! I'm so excited to see what you guys think of my first OC! I've put a lot of thought and planning into her character and I really hope you like her. But even if you don't, please tell me! It's not too late for me to make some alterations. **

**Feedback always appreciated! Thanks so much for all the follows and reviews! You are truly a wonderful audience! :) -WP**


	9. Chapter 9

**I'm so sorry I haven't gotten around to posting this chapter sooner! School started up last wee, business trip over the weekend, my sister's having a baby... Oh so much adult stuff! But here's your next chapter! Hopefully the ones that follow won't take me so long to work out. **

**Many thanks to all my followers and reviewers! I really do love the feedback; it helps me write better and understand what you as fans want to see in my stories!**

**This chapter is particularly long, the longest yet, but it sets up the rest of the story so nicely. And it's extremely IMPORTANT! you'll see as the story continues to develop.**

**So here you are! Enjoy, my lovely fans! :) -Winged Pages**

**(Daryl's POV)**

How the fuck did that fuckin climbin' lady know I was hiding behind that fucking tree?! Ain't no way she coulda seen me! No fucking way!

I was only trying to keep tabs on Beth, in case she needed me. I'd been tracking her for at least an hour.

How the fuck did that creepy woman know I'd been tracking Beth for an hour?! What is she, like a psychic or somethin'?

We'd been following this woman in complete silence for nearly three hours now. I never put down my crossbow. I didn't want to. I didn't know this woman. Beth didn't know her either. Yet we were followin' her like a bunch of lost school girls! Fucking idiots is what we are! I swear to God if she does anything to hurt Beth…

"You're not at all curious, pretty boy?"

Was that snark directed at me? Oh man… I fought back the primal urge to thoroughly beat this woman to the ground. I've never hit a woman, but this lady was gettin' close to being my first.

"What?" Beth asked, obviously surprised that the woman in front of her could even speak.

"I wasn't talking to you, princess."

I didn't say a word.

Suddenly, this woman stopped dead in her tracks. She turned around, taking a few steps in my direction and looked me square in the eye, like she was asking for an ass-kickin'. "You're really not at all curious as to how I knew you were hiding behind that tree?" She was chewing her gum like a cow, mouth open, blowing bubbles like some five year old kid! What was this? The damn playground?

"Nope."

She stood there, blowing bubbles, acting like a damn child!

"Okay. Fine then," she said spinning around and walking back to the front of the group. "But just so you know, those boots should be a little lighter if you want to blend in with noon-time shadows."

My fucking boots? I looked down. They were just typical, cheap-ass boots I got forever ago. She fucking saw my boots?

"You're that good?" Beth asked.

_Yeah, are you really that good,_ _lady? _

The woman gave Beth a sideways glance. She was clearly annoyed now. "Yes." And the woman just kept on walking.

Who was she? Just what did she have to do with Beth, besides knowing what the hell happened after the hospital? And wasn't there some _sister_ too? Who in damn hell was she? Too many unanswered questions for my linking.

Beth looked at me. "I don't think you need to keep that bow of yours up anymore. She's not a threat… At least, she doesn't feel like one... And she probably would've killed us by now if she wanted to."

I shook my head and kept up pace with Beth and the other woman. No way in hell someone spots me, tracks me, and acts the way she does if they're not a threat. I ain't stupid enough to someone like her that lightly.

We kept walking. It was getting close to sundown now. "How much farther?" I had to ask because I noticed Beth was starting to slow down. We hadn't stopped since we started, and Beth probably didn't get much sleep the night before either.

"Another hour maybe."

"What? It'll be dark in another hour. We can't move in the dark." It was dangerous enough movin' around in unknown territory, without a clue where we were goin'.

She turned to look at us, pausing for a second. She was sucking on a lollipop now. Who the fuck does that in the fuckin' apocalypse? "So?"She shrugged like it was a pointless question.

I was angry now. Not only did this woman have no respect for Beth's well-being, but I didn't trust her worth a damn either! "So nothin'! We ain't stayin' out here at night! Too many damn walkers roaming around! Ya' gonna get us all killed!" I wouldn't have that. Beth won't get hurt I'd make sure of that.

"Relax, pretty boy," she said in a seriously irritating tone. "If you don't like the dark, you shoulda just stayed at your cozy little camp with the rest of your crew. Nice big fire. Maybe some singing. Now _that's_ dangerous."

Now it was personal. _Fuck this! I've had enough!_

I drew my knife. It's not in my nature to fight a woman, in fact I hate that I'm even doin' it, but this one was just too damn dangerous around Beth. She's all I can think about right now, her in the dark. Fuck, why am I so concerned anyway since she's the one who ran off? Shit! I hate the fact she's here... But I don't really. I just don't want her to see this fight.

Beth seemed to know what I was thinking though. She stepped between me and the idiot lollipop woman, and put her tiny hand on my mine, the one that was clutching the knife. She was calm, but her words were firm, stubborn even. "Daryl, calm down. Please, we don't need this right now." She looked from me to the woman and back again. The intensity in her eyes…

"Beth, we shouldn't be out here at night. You know it's dangerous," I said in a whisper. I ain't havin' no lollipop girl listening in.

"I know…." Her voice trailed off. I didn't understand what the complication was. In this world, if it's too dangerous you get the hell outta dodge before you end up a walker, or walker bait.

"I'm serious, Beth. You're gonna git yourself hurt if ya stay outside at night, especially with her." I nodded in lollipop woman's direction. She didn't seem to care what was goin' on right now, like Beth wasn't even a concern of her's, though apparently it was her mission to bring Beth to her sister.

_What a fucking load of shit this day turned out to be. Shoulda just stayed at camp, Dixon._

"It's just... I can't place it in my head, but I know she's important... And her sister's important… And she knows what happened to me." Beth looked at me with those eyes I'd almost forgotten about. The were the prettiest baby blue eyes I've ever seen. They told me to just let her do this. This is what she needed to do.

I took a deep breath. If Beth was so dead set on finding this sister I couldn't stop her, no matter how much I wanted to. But I sure as hell wasn't gonna let her go it alone, not after what happened last time.

Suddenly, I had a thought. Rick and I used to do this all the time to newbies at the prison. "How many walkers you kill?" I asked lollipop girl, who raised her eyebrows in question.

"I don't know. Didn't think it was that important to keep track." She looked at me like I was some weirdo prodding into all her secrets, eyes very intent and curious as to what I was getting at.

"How many people you kill?"

No answer. It was stunned silence for what seemed like forever.

"Two." She said, but there was an edge in her voice. She discarded her lollipop a few feet away. Clearly she wasn't at all happy about being on the receiving end of things. All the while she just stared at us.

I can't wait to hear the answer to this last one. Beth was looking at me with worried eyes, worried about the answer lollipop girl might give. She knew why I was doin' this. Hell, it was our judge of character at the prison. She never questioned mine or Rick's decisions on who to let in and who not to, somethin' I was eternally grateful for now, that trust.

"Why?"

Her eyes went wide. I saw her breathing become measured, like she was holding back all her emotions at once. Beth must have seen it too, because she immediately went to my side and slowly drew her knife as well. At least she was somewhat scared now.

"That's for me to know. Just me," she replied, even and steady, definitely holding back from lashing out at me, or worse at Beth.

Can't have that. I needed to know the answer or I wouldn't let Beth go with her.

Beth placed her hand on my knife, easing it to my side, like she knew what I was thinking. I looked at her. I'm not that good at showing concern for other people, but she must have realized it in my face somehow, how much I was concerned for Beth's safety. I still dont' know why I am but it's growin' on me now. "It's okay, Daryl," she said. Her voice felt strangely soothing, soothing enough that I didn't feel as inclined to rip that woman to shreds anymore.

"Fine." I let out a breath and replaced my knife in its sheath. Beth smiled, like it was going to be okay we were wandering out in the woods after dark. She sheathed her knife too.

Gonna get ourselves killed for this, I know we are.

The woman turned around kept walking.

"Come on," Beth said. She tugged at my arm a bit, which felt slightly awkward since women never really liked touching me. However, I did carry Beth around a lot in those last days at the funeral home. Truthfully I didn't even realize what I was doing then and I didn't mind it at all. Inwardly, she made me smile…just on the inside though. Dixons don't really smile for other people to see.

**(Beth's POV)**

My God! He really wanted to kill her back there! I didn't know if I was gonna be able to stop him! Quite frankly, I'm still in shock he's here at all! Figured he'd just stay with the group, being Rick's best man and the group's best fighter and their only hunter and everything. But… Here he is, walking next to me like… well like he wanted to.

I flashed back to my thoughts yesterday, before this very strange woman hollered at me from atop a tree. A small part of me wanted to believe he was tracking me… _and he really was!_ I felt so happy I had someone to share this… What would someone call it?... this _quest_ with. Daryl and I spent a lot of time together before. We know how the other one thinks and moves and why they do it. He's the best partner to have on a trip like this. Though, I couldn't kill him to talk a little more.

We continued walking. It was totally dark now. Nothing was moving, no life... A stillness like no other. It was downright eerie, and I didn't want to leave Daryl's side or lose sight of that strange woman we were following. I was stuck between the two of them, which was probably safest. Still... So utterly silent.

"I don't fucking like this," Daryl whispered, keeping his crossbow loaded and always ready.

"Me neither." I felt like the woods were going to swallow us whole, like they were slowly but surely closing in. It reminded me of the time I spent in the trunk of the car. Felt like eternity... Made me feel so small and helpless. But it was the turning point which taught me how to be strong again.

"Relax, princess. We're here." The woman threw out her now stick of a lollipop and began rustling the bushes, all very strangely, as though she was looking for something. "OMG, where the fuck is it? Why'd she have to go bury it in a bush?" The woman was clearly agitated, though I was getting agitated as to what it was she was getting agitated about.

I looked at Daryl who was looking at the woman in same way I was. Sheer confusion.

"Finally!"

I heard the woman crank something, then suddenly… LIGHT! Actual lights turned on!

"Oh my God! Electricity!" I couldn't contain my surprise, and neither could Daryl. For the first since we started the trek, he lowered his crossbow.

"How do you have power?" he asked the woman who was now covering the switch back up.

She looked at him like it was a dumb question. Well, I didn't know how they had power either so the question can't be _that_ dumb. "Don't know," she replied curtly. "My sister rigged it all up. I don't know how it works. I just put all the plugs in the right spots and tacked up shit."

"Her sister must be some sort of genius," I whispered to Daryl who merely grunted in response as usual.

Also, I can't help feeling that I know her somehow… Somehow.

"Come on. Need to go before the walkers see the light. And I'm hungry." The woman started out into an open field.

We started following her... Then it was like the world just stopped. I flinched, so did Daryl. This place was, to both of our amazement, the funeral home where we last spent time together.

"If this is some kinda fucked-up sick joke, lady…" Daryl started to say but was abruptly cut off.

"Oh shut the fuck up, pretty boy!" The woman turned around, hands on hips like she was seriously so annoyed with Daryl she didn't care anymore if she blew her top. "Look, I got food waiting for me up there and I'm not about to let it get cold!" Then she took off running.

I followed, so did Daryl. It was all so surreal! Except for the fact that the graveyard was now well-lit, and some sort of electric fence was opening for us. I could see the electricity running through it, and Daryl's impressed reaction at the sight of it. The woman and her sister must _both_ be geniuses, as well as have some serious connections... Or they used to anyway. We entered the graveyard, and I saw the funeral home was lit up too. It was just as beautiful as when Daryl and I were last here. I had to stop to take it all in.

"Memories hittin' ya'?" Daryl said appearing beside me, master creeper that he is.

"Yeah."

"Me too."

We looked at each other, knowing that if some stupid dog hadn't come around and ruined everything we might still be might have gone differently that night... I shuddered and willed the memories to go back to the vaults of my mind.

I couldn't hold his gaze for very long. The emotions were all too much. I didn't want to shed tears in front of him.

"Come on. Let's go inside before she locks us out." Daryl took my hand and continued running towards the house with me. That was the second time he had since I've been back. It was so odd of him, but I was grateful now more than ever.

The woman was waiting at the door for us. It seemed she had this perpetual look of annoyance on her face. As we got closer, I could make out the woman's features better. She didn't look much older than me to be honest. She never smiled, at least not in the time I've seen her. She seemed muscular, which was odd considering her small frame and really girlish complexion. With perfectly highlighted hair like that, every shade of blond and gold I could think of, she could've been a model before the outbreak. But she looked to be just as rough and tough as Daryl. Hell, she looked as much a country hick as he did. I also noticed the dog tags hanging around her neck. Was she ex-military before everything happened? Knowing what I do now, I'll probably only ever be able to speculate.

"Quit eying me up, princess. I don't swing that way," she said closing the door behind us.

I stood with my mouth open, not really knowing how to respond. I was staring at the floor now, hoping to hide the embarrassment and awkwardness creeping in. "I'm not a lesbian," was all I managed to get out. I felt Daryl shuffle awkwardly at the whole conversation.

"Whatever," she said, pulling another switch which turned off the outside lights but left the ones inside the funeral home on.

"It's so strange to be back here," I said taking in the foyer and the staircase in front of me.

"Yeah," Daryl grunted. I can't imagine what it must feel like for him. He's probably blaming himself for everything and then some. _And just when I was starting to think he'd gotten past all his self-blame._ All I could do was smile at him, hoping he would at least remember the good times we had here more than the outcome of that one night.

"Yo! Aurora! We got company!" The woman yelled while throwing her things in the parlor room.

"Well well… Beth, you certainly look a lot better now than you did when you left. Excellent progress."

I looked up. A woman stood atop the staircase, wearing a lab coat of all things. I held my head in my hands. Headache, again! _Horrible timing, brain! Just horrible timing!_

This woman… She looks so familiar that I know I've seen her before! Her dark brown hair which came to her waist. Her really tanned skin. Those inquisitive yet piercing eyes that kept scanning me over and over! My head felt like it was gonna explode!

"Who are you?" Daryl said stepping up beside me, clearly seeing I was in no condition to talk… or just because he was curious.

The woman who led us here turned to the one in the lab coat with her hands on her hips looking like she'd just been through hell and back. "The next time you ask me to go pick up one of your people, I won't go for anything less than a real cigarette. Got it?" She pointed her index finger in the other woman's face.

"Certainly understood, sis," the woman replied, which seemed good enough for the one who now chewed loudly on a piece of gum.

"Didn't answer my question!" Daryl roared. He was rapidly switching from curious to protective mode. These women had to see that!

The woman in the lab coat coughed and approached us, descending the staircase and pulling back her hair in a very tight, perfect ponytail. I now saw the only similarity between the two women: One streak of blue in their bangs, a clear indication they were connected on some level.

"Forgive my sister's rude manners. She's not very well versed in social situations." She smiled.

Daryl only grunted. He rolled his eyes. "You're really getting on my fucking nerves now! Either answer the damn question or I shoot you between the eyes!" He held his crossbow again, aiming for the woman's eyes. I saw the other woman tense, revealing a dark knife from her boot. I have a distinct gut feeling she'd give Daryl a run for his money if the two of them decided to go at it. Oh please, God, no! My head was throbbing incessantly now!

"Please, allow me to introduce ourselves since she couldn't manage it," the woman said pointing to the one who led us here. "My name is Dr. Aurora Hicks. You can call me Aurora though, since titles and professions don't really matter anymore. My specialty was infectious diseases at Johns Hopkins University. This is my sister, Harper Bale. You could say she's the muscle and I'm the brains in this operation."

I nodded. Judging from the very look of them, Aurora was dead on. You really wouldn't know the two were together if they didn't have the same streak of blue in their hair.

"So what's all this got to do with Beth?" Daryl took the words right out of my mouth, which was totally okay with me because I that headache was quickly becoming a full-blown migraine, though I didn't know why I was getting a headache in the first place.

Aurora looked at Harper, who merely shrugged, replacing the knife back in her boot. Then she looked at us with a huge smile on her face.

"Well... I cured her."

**A/N: Introducing my two OCs, Harper and Aurora! They're both based off of real people I know and love and I'm so grateful that allowed me to include them in this story! **

**So the cliffhanger at the end... What do you think? The cure? I've done my research and I hope what I've come up with (purely for creative writing purposes) is believable enough. Now we get to reveal Beth's purpose... because if she does come back (I'm totally with team delusional that she's coming back) she has to come back as a key part of the bigger story. As much as us Bethyl shippers would like, it can't all be about Beth and Daryl.**

**Don't worry, Bethylers! Bethyl fluff coming up soon! :)**


	10. Chapter 10

**Hey guys! Sorry it's been a while since I last updated. With the start of school, and working two jobs, and also trying to finish this story so I can work on some one-shots I have cranking around my head it's all just A LOT to handle. I'm trying to update weekly at best, though I will not bind myself to a deadline when I technically don't have one.**

**So thank you to all who have left reviews thus far! Please continue to leave reviews and follow the story. Give me your feedback, because I really wanna make this one end well. Chapter 10 is about the half-way mark for this story so from here on out it gets REALLY interesting. **

**Well enjoy! I know I loved this Bethyl chapter...and I promise there's more Bethyl to come. Just trust me. ;)**

**-Winged Pages**

**(Daryl's POV)**

I don't know what to make of these people. The scientist is a scary woman and so is her sister, Harper, the one I nearly killed earlier in the woods. Harper's just sitting on the counter eating her plate of microwave lasagna, (It still amazes me Harper rigged up the funeral home to power again!) alternating stares between it and the rest of us. Aurora eats like she's never had to survive a day in her life, eating only half her plate and being so damn picky about it. Makes me wanna slap the woman! Don't she know the rest of our group is out there starving? Beth is sitting across from Aurora, barely eating even though both the scientist lady and I told her to eat everything. Really, I worry about that woman. Sometimes she just…forgets everything…stops existing. That's what's scary as shit to think about.

The tension in this room though is so thick it's like suffocating.

It's like Harper read my mind. "Oh my God! Someone talk already." She practically threw her plate in the sink next to her.

"Thank you for dinner," was Beth's quiet response.

"Of course," Aurora said, too cheery for my taste. "You're our guests, and you, Beth, are our special guest after all." She smiled, and it was too mischievous and conniving to miss. I narrowed my eyes and scowled, which Beth used to say was a pretty typical look for me. It's like this woman was planning something in the back of her mind. I trust her less now than I did when Beth and I walked in the doors.

"You're probably wondering what in the world we're doing out here, so far from any civilization or CDC labs, right?" Aurora asked, eyebrows raised in question…or curiosity. It's pretty hard to tell one from the other since this damn woman is so suspicious.

"Yeah," I grunted in reply. "Guess that'd be good." Information never hurt nobody. Only gave me and Beth an advantage.

I saw Harper raised her eyes, like this was a conversation she expected. She's very observant, I'll give her that.

"I don't quite know where to begin," Aurora said taking a sip of her wine. _Drinkin' wine too, like she's the most proper fuckin' woman in a world gone to shit!_ "I guess it's best to tell you that yes, Harper and I are in fact sisters. We don't look anything alike, but that's because we have different fathers. Harper's the oldest; her father was a military colonel stationed at Fort Benning during the outbreak. My father was also a professor, a doctor at Johns Hopkins so it was easy for me to become one as well."

"Ain't you a bit young to be a doctor?" I asked. She didn't look much older than 25 or somethin' like that.

Harper scoffed from the counter. She was clearly annoyed with this conversation, eyes rolling to the ceiling and shutting them. Don't blame her much. I'd get sure as hell get annoyed if Aurora were my sis

"I'm 24, actually. And yes, it's quite younger than the average doctor. But I was always advanced for my age and since my father was a professor it was fairly easy to get into medical school earlier than everyone else."

Fuckin' shit. All ego. She likes to brag about herself to anyone. I rolled my eyes, hoping she'd get the idea to shut up.

"Well this was fun. Is storytelling over now?" Harper asked, or more like flat out told Aurora before stomping off towards the viewing room. Harper at least has the decency to pick up on things like social cues.

"Well that's all for tonight," Aurora said standing. "Your room is up the stairs to the right. First one on the left." She glared at Beth, who continued sitting at the table. "Get some rest. Tomorrow I'd like to run a few tests if you don't mind, to see how your body's reacting to the infection, or lack thereof." She smiled, apparently proud of having experimented on and successfully cured an innocent woman. Still ain't sure how I feel about that.

I grunted in reply. Beth weren't in no condition to do anything. No use tryin' to run now.

Aurora turned to me. "If you don't mind, I'd like to run those tests with Beth _alone_."

"Hell no, lady." I don't know who she thought she was, but I had to protect Beth. She wasn't gonna get no tests done if I wasn't gonna be there.

Aurora seemed determined not to budge. She glared at me, sizing me up for a fight. _Well if that's what she wants then that's what she'll get!_ I stepped up to her, my face only inches away from hers. I wasn't seeing red yet, but I could feel it coming on…this need to protect Beth for reasons I couldn't put my finger on yet. I was just...instinct almost.

Aurora sighed peeling her gaze off mine and glaring back at Beth, who only continued to stare at the table, clearly tuned-out of everything. "Fine. Let's just let the matter rest for now. We can ask Beth how she feels about it in the morning." She smiled, showing some teeth that were just too perfect…like everything else about this lady. She was a glorified bitchy princess who never worked a day in her life. Fuckin' annoying!

Once Aurora was gone, I walked over to Beth. "Hey, you okay?" _Wow. That was probably the worst question to ask right now. Smooth, Dixon. Real caring._

Beth didn't reply.

_Okay, I'm gonna lose it if she doesn't start talking!_ This is ridiculous! She can't just check out on me! No one can do that anymore. I tilted her chin, making her look me in the eye. At least I knew she was alive! Her skin felt like it was burning to the touch, but she didn't have a fever. So what else was it?

"Hey, you can't check out now. Got it? That lady is a fuckin' big mouth bitch! I'm not gonna let her touch you, okay?" Dunno what happened to her at Grady. Really, don't wanna ever know cuz I feel like I might go back just to slaughter them all. That instinct to protect the woman sitting in front of me was starting to spiral outta control.

She nodded, then glanced away from me.

I want to know what's going on inside that head of her's. I hate to see her so down. Last time we were stuck here I had so many things going on inside my head...our last conversation before the damn dog ruined it! Stupid mut! Fuckin' walkers! Now I just have one thing on my mind- Protect Beth. She can't go through this alone. Being alone is the worst feeling in this world now.

"I won't leave you again…" Then, as if I needed to justify my actions, I added, "I'm sorry for last time."

She got this inquisitive look in her eyes, staring back up at me. "You don't have to explain anything to me. It was stupid for both of us to just trust some dumb dog." She chuckled a little bit, adding a small smile too, and it lightened my mood.

I gave a smirk in response. Then she hugged me in a way only Beth could hug, totally embracing me in warmth. She just radiates warmth every time, whether she's checked out or not. I might not know how to really hug back, but if I could stay here forever I think I would. Never said that about…anything…before Beth. The thought made me blush just a little.

We walked up the stairs and entered what I think used to be another viewing room which had been converted to a spare bedroom.

"Feels like de-ja-vu," Beth said as she sat on the bed. I took a seat on the couch across from her. The place was boarded up so tight only a little bit of moonlight made it through the cracks in the window. I mean, at least it was fairly secure, but it felt like I stepped into a damn romance novel. _Awkward as hell_!

"Maybe I should sleep in the hall." I started to get up. Just anything that wouldn't feel so weird. For some reason, Beth made me feel warm and flushed. Ain't felt nothing like that in my whole life.

"No…please don't." Beth had some sort of plea in her voice. "I don't know if either of us will get sleep anyway. We could just talk until one of us gets too tired to keep going, you know?" Her eyes were big, definitely pleading. I coulda got lost in those eyes, big and pretty and blue. But this wasn't the time to "get lost." I don't know how I feel about this. It's just….awkward. I'm no good with words, and I definitely ain't the talkin' type. But….since it's Beth…and I don't think I could ever leave her anyway...

"So what you wanna talk about?" I asked while setting my crossbow on the couch next to me. So long as I stayed on my side I should be okay. it wasn't like we hadn't been in the same room before, all those weeks of surviving, just the two of us.

"Well…I mean there's something that's been nagging me since I ended up in the back of the car, on the way to the hospital."

Oh man. She wants to go back to that night…again. I just wanna let it go, move on, figure out what we had and keep it going between us. She's just special like that…special to me. "Okay ... What?" Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to talk about...maybe she wasn't goin' there after all...I'd waited all night to hear her talk, now I didn't? _Asshole._

"Just…well…" She was so nervous, and shy, and innocent. "I just want to know…if you went looking for me at all…I briefly saw you run after the car but it could've been just in my mind. I wasn't totally with it, you know? I want to apologize if you did. I didn't mean to…you know…cause so much trouble for you...I've done a lot of that lately." She looked at the cracks of moonlight coming through. It illuminated her face enough for me catch the hitch in her breathing. Was she just nervous about the answer? What was that look on her face? Shame? Man, I'm really not good with emotional crap woman seem to spew out, especially this woman.

I never thought twice about going after her. I just did it. I needed to. She was taken, which wasn't her fault at all. Why did she blame herself for getting taken? That made no sense. She shouldn't shoulder everyone's blame…this fucked up world's shit. Nah..She's just too...innocent for all that.

"I ran after you for two days…but don't even think about apologizing for nothin'. You got _taken_. That ain't your fault." I didn't mean to sound harsh, but I had to get through to her. It wasn't her fault and she shouldn't worry her pretty head off about it. "I shouldn't have let a damn dog fuck up what we had going."

She cocked her head to one side, lookin' at me, clearly thinking up a good comeback to that. Maybe I shouldn't have been so up front about...whatever it was we had goin'. I was about to apologize, (I've done more apologizing in the last couple days than I have my whole damn life!) but Beth just whispered quietly, "Well, if we had stayed, we'd have just ended up with Aurora and Harper anyways. That was obviously their stash. I don't think it'd have worked out much, being the way they are."

I merely grunted in response. We could've at least spared the hospital events. I felt weird saying this but I did anyway. "You wouldn't have died._ I fucked up and you died_." I balled my hands into fists, fighting the urge to react in a way I'm sure Beth wouldn't appreciate. I will never be able to forgive myself for letting her die like that. She shouldn't have! It ripped me to fucking shreds! Every damn night since Atlanta my heart died a little bit more. Don't know if I can ever tell Beth that though. Nah, never... Than again, I might not have to. She was always good at readin' me, comforting me like no one else. That was what made Beth so special to begin with. She was the friend anyone would've been happy to be with. it's sad she got stuck with an asshole jerk like me who told her she slit her wrists for attention and got so damn drunk he coulda hurt her. I've never deserved to be with Beth like this. I don't deserve to be anywhere near her.

She scooted off the bed and sat beside me instead, which felt even weirder since the entire rooming situation was already awkward enough. But it wasn't meant in a physical way. It was just to be closer in the conversation. It was a touch one, I'll give it that, but having Beth closer made me feel a little bit more at ease, knowing she was right there beside me where I could keep her safe.

"No," she stated very definitively staring me down with those big blue eyes, lit up by the moonlight steaming in which only made her look even fiercer. "You did everything right. I just…I feel like I should've been stronger then. I didn't fully recognize my own strength until I was in the hospital, surrounded by people who constantly lived in the past. That's not true strength." She shook her head a little, probably willing the images to go away, back to the vaults of her memory where she couldn't see them.

I looked at her in that moment, and she suddenly looked different. She had a fire in her eyes that was totally new to me. They were big blue eyes, and they were fierce. She was stronger now than when she left the funeral home. That's a fact.

She hugged me, and I amazingly hugged her tighter than I think I'd ever held a woman before. Not that I've held many women though. It was so strangely comforting, and I refused to let go.

Who knows how long we just stayed there, but it had to be most of the night. After Lord knows how long, I looked down and Beth was sleeping soundly in my arms. As much as I'm dying to hear her voice again, I guess it's better to let her sleep like this than wake her now. She sleep too much like an angel anyway.


	11. Chapter 11

**So here's another chapter for you guys! You're all such devoted readers and I can't thank you enough for sticking with my story. Make me happy to hear the *ding* from my email alerting me I have a new follower for this story.**

**So this chapter is a bit different. It revolves entirely around my OC, Harper. There's more to her than meets the eyes, as you will soon find out. :) I put her in here for a reason; she's vital to the story line.**

**Enjoy! -W.P.**

**(Daryl's POV)**

_Beth! Get your shit!_

_I'm not leaving you!_

_Go! I'll meet you up the road! Go now!_

_…She's just gone….._

NO! Not again!

The nightmares were getting worse. I could see those last moments so clearly, like someone pushed a fucked up replay button. Sweat dripped off my forehead in waves. My breathing wasn't steady.

I couldn't do anything except run after that fucking car that took her, knowing I wouldn't catch it. I tried…but trying and finishing don't carry equal weight. I may as well have said 'Fuck it!' and the result woulda been the same. What kinda man does that make me? I shoulda kept running, but I was too weak ... too weak...

Slowly, I cracked my eyes open. Hadn't even realized I'd slept! Shit! I shouldn't have dozed off like some boy who still needed to get eight hours to function right. Not when Beth needed me. I glanced at the crack in the boarded up window. It was still dark out, but dawn couldn't be too far away. Beth was still sleeping across my lap; I hated to wake her when she needed rest. How did she even get there? Why didn't she just go back to the bed? That way at least, she wouldn't have had to sleep on some dirty redneck's lap. But it felt...right, somehow, havin' her there like that. I felt like such a pervert, staring at her, watching her even breaths. She looked…peaceful. I smiled, on the inside and only a little bit. One thing I was absolutely sure of: Beth had to be the only person left in this shit hole who could sleep so peacefully.

As gently as possible, I slipped my hands under her knees and shoulders. _I don't even deserve to be touchin' her!_ I picked her up, quietly as possible, and carried her to the bed. _I__t feels like before...when I carried her into the kitchen 'cuz she had a twisted ankle._ She didn't even flinch. If anything, she only looked more peaceful lying on the bed than on my lap. Her hair…her face…everything was just perfect. I don't know how she did it, being so perfect in such an imperfect world. And I still don't know why she stuck with me, why she clung so hard to me, when I'm just as messed up...fucked up beyond repair. I don't know, but I sure as hell ain't complainin' neither. Her lips were this pretty shade of pale pink. Moonlight only made them prettier… No way! I can't be doin' this, shouldn't even be thinkin' about it! _This isn't about you and your desires, Dixon._ No, this was about Beth. Everything in my world right now revolved around Beth… but this was no time or place for such emotional shit feelings!

Why am I so strung up on heartstrings and moonlight anyway?! She probably ain't even interested. Hell, _I wouldn't_ if I were her. I'm so messed up. These thoughts are messed up! Shit! I ran my hands through my hair, pacing the room, while never taking my eyes off Beth. Every instinct told me to look away or go stand outside in the hall, that she'd be fine in here for one damn minute. But there some unknown desire that just made me keep lookin'. I didn't wanna look away right now.

"You really are somethin', girl," I whispered, only loud enough for the silence to hear.

Best make myself useful. I felt at ease enough to maybe step out in the hall for a moment. I grabbed my crossbow from the couch and checked my gun to see if it was fully loaded before quietly entering the hall. It was eerie quiet. I knew I shouldn't need to, but I raised by crossbow anyway. Something just felt…off. I could feel the hunter inside of me screaming danger, but I saw, smelled, heard nothing. It seemed like an empty mortuary, almost as empty as when Beth and I first stumbled on it. Though, it didn't have the ghosts then neither. Now it's full of as many memories as there are good ones.

The stairs creaked and cracked. I moved towards them, making out their distinct lines in the darkness. Harper and Aurora must shut the power off during the night. Makes sense- saves energy for later. Something was moving around downstairs. My instincts were up. My spine tingled. Never felt like this. This was something altogether new, and new threats around Beth weren't sitting well with me. I can't even begin to think about some new and terrible happening to Beth. I made my way to the stairs and looked down. There was a shadow, no, a person standing in the entrance of the front door. I couldn't make out who it was, though I wasn't delighted knowing it had to be either Bitch scientist or Lollipop girl. I didn't move, just watched and waited. Hunters are good at that. It seemed like fucking forever before the figure standing at the door finally turned around.

"You know, you could've just said hi instead of staring at me like some pervert." Typical Lollipop girl. I noticed she wasn't chewing on anything this time, yet. She just stared at me. Looked like she was contemplating whether or she wanted to kill me. Fucking idiot. She had balls, I'll give her that, but ain't no way this girl takes down a Dixon. _The thought itself is actually pretty damn funny! Ha!_

She lowered head, digging through a bag she had on the floor. To my amazement, she threw me a pack of Morleys and a lighter. Huh? What the fuck?

"Care to step outside for a smoke?"

I looked at the pack of cigs in my hand. This was weird as shit, but I lowered my bow. It didn't feel like she was gonna kill me, though that look of contemplation never left her face. "What the fuck is this?"

She raised an eyebrow, rolled her eyes. "Pretty boy don't even know a pack of cigs when he sees it."

"Not what I meant." God! This woman might be even more thick-skulled than me when it comes to conversation!

"Why don't you just say yes already, pretty boy? I can't imagine how long it's been since you've had a decent smoke." She certainly was an insistent annoyance.

And she was right. I _really_ needed a smoke, especially after all that emotional stuff this morning. "Fine," I said walking down the steps and meeting her at the front door. "But I don't trust you enough leave my bow out of it." Or the scowl. That was gonna be plastered on my face until Beth was totally and completely safe.

"Couldn't agree more," she said opening the front door and taking a seat on the porch steps. I sat next to her, lighting a cigarette and inhaling deeply. That felt good.

We sat in silence for a while, smoking cigarettes and keeping watch. Now that I was outside, I'd forgotten how big the place was since we were last here. It covered at least five acres, a lot of that bein' reserved for graves. An electric fence surrounded the place, hooked up at the side to some sort of solar panel system Aurora no doubt cooked up. The gate we came through earlier was also electric; the set-up actually reminded me of the prison. _Y__eah, and we thought we were safe there too._ The place was locked down tight, that's for sure, but nothing in this hell hole is every completely safe.

"That constant humming from the fence is so fucking annoying," Harper said, pulling my thoughts away from the perimeter.

"Yeah," I replied, not that her statement needed a reply. I got the feeling she wanted to say something, but she didn't speak. That's okay. Got no problem just sitting in peace and quiet, enjoyin' a smoke. But...if she was gonna say anything that concerned Beth and her safety, she was gonna say it to me first.

"You got somethin' to say to me?" I asked, extinguishing my second cigarette. That was probably enough smokes for one time. They were in short supply nowadays.

I heard Harper sigh. Her eyes were closed, all contemplative-like.

"I know my sister's a bonafide bitch, but she's all I got."

Well that was sudden. What the hell do I care? "Yeah. Glad you know that." There was no emotion of feeling to how I said it. It was fact. It was a shitty answer but I really didn't care what she thought. She wasn't someone I was just come right out and have a nice fucking chat with! Especially if that chat involved Bitch scientist! So far as I was concerned, she, and her sister, were still the enemy.

"I'm sorry you and Beth got mixed up in all this shit." She look down at her boots which looked like pre-outbreak military issued, the kind Merle used to wear. "Aurora's a hot head and she doesn't give a damn about other people. She just wants her name on a plaque in shiny lights…_again_."

I narrowed my eyes at Harper. Why was she saying all this crap now? Did she just try to tell me she doesn't care about what her sister's doing?

"Why ya' still here then if you don't agree with her?" I asked more out of curiosity than conversation. I guess it won't hurt to light another cigarette. If she was gonna go into story time I needed a distraction to keep myself from getting too annoyed with her. And the increase in tobacco and nicotine certainly eased the tension that I definitely felt building.

Harper looked at me with eyes that were as dull as rocks. It didn't look like she had any life left in them, and I've seen my fair share of lifeless eyes. "She's the only family I got left. Why wouldn't I stay with her?" Then, as if she were contradicting herself on the inside, fighting some inner battle, she stood, walked over to one of the porch pillars and punched it with as much strength as an angry sibling had. She had bloody knuckles now, probably wood splinters too, but she just sat right back down beside me like nothing happened. I know those punches...know them all too well. When the frustration and anger and sadness and all the shit life's thrown get's to bee too much, ya' just gotta hit something.

"I may be older, but I was always under someone else. Aurora takes advantage of that fact every single day. I'm a tough asshole but I'm also nothing more than a pushover!" Harper's breath became labored. She was trying her best to regain control, but it wasn't' working. I saw the flood of emotion just come pouring out. "My father kicked mom out soon as he found out she'd had an affair. I was four and she was suddenly just gone. I hated my father and he hated me too so we made eachothers' lives a living hell. I was thrown into Juvi once before he said a big "Fuck you!" and sent me to military academy in Annapolis."

She shook her head, fists clenching and unclenching. I took a long slow drag from the cigarette and exhaled. Shit. She was just like me, always getting bitched at and beaten by her old man only to find out her one sibling demeaned her every move. _Shit!_ So behind that annoying smirk and all the fucking lollipops is another sad shell of a person who got screwed way before the world went to hell. _It's a little scary...like lookin' in a fuckin' mirror._

"Why ya tellin' me this? Huh? What's it got to do with me and Beth?" I didn't mean to sound harsh but it was the truth. I simply had no idea why in hell she was telling me the shit she probably never told anyone else, especially not Aurora.

Harper ran her hands through her hair and took a few deep breaths, clearly frustrated with herself for listening to Aurora and for just generally living a shit hole. "You've been through the ringer, right? It's clear as day in the way you carry yourself, the way you talk and act around Beth like you're gonna trip over her or something. You can't even tell her what's on your mind, pretty boy. All you wanna do is keep her safe but that's not all of it, right? Problem is, you don't deserve the kinds of thoughts you have about her. You think she's too damn good for you."

She did not just say that to me! She can't go spewin' shit about me and Beth like that! I'm all in her face now, standing less than an inch away from her and fuming. "How the fuck are you that observant? What? What am I holding back from Beth, huh? Tell me!" The anger was slowly building. She didn't have any right to judge me, though everything she said was like a short version of why I am the way I am. Fuck, I hate observant women!

"Am I wrong? I don't think so." She took a step back and lit another cigarette, letting the smoke swirl around both our heads for a minute before continuing. "You would lay down your life for that girl but you can't even tell her what's on your mind. Coward."

That was it. She couldn't call me a coward to my face without due punishment. I started seeing red, shaking a little even, but before I could even unsheathe my knife Harper already had a blade at my throat. Her cigarette was extinguished by her foot and her stance was about as lethal as some cat ready to pounce on an unsuspecting mouse. Girl had lightning reflexes.

I withdrew my hand from my knife. I had to protect Beth and that meant not getting killed at the hands of an annoying woman who couldn't handle this much emotion in one shot.

"Military training paid off I guess. I spent enough time doing covert ops I know how to get under someone's skin, and I know what idiot moves they try to pull when I do." Her tone was back to annoyance, but it had changed. She wasn't angry anymore, at least not at me or Beth. "Let me get something straight: I pulled you out here to talk to you so you could understand why I'm here and why I protect my sister. It's a duty, and after killing two people I don't think I belong in this world any more than she does. Understand?"

I narrowed my eyes, looking at her. She was already dead inside. She had nothing left to lose. _That_ was the very heart of her...having nothing she cared about. "You know, I remember when my older brother shoved me around, looked down on me. Made me think I was nothin' but discarded shit all the time." I didn't know why I was saying this. Just felt I needed to validate why I was here with Beth instead of dead like Harper...validate my own existence. "He was fucking wrong."

Harper let out a sharp breath. I coudl feel it brush against my face. Even _that_ was cold. She sheathed her knife, didn't even draw blood. I don't think that was the point. That would've created problems with Beth and I'm sure neither she nor Aurora needed that complication. They had to keep both of us alive for whatever game they wanted to play next.

It was well past dawn now. Beth would be up soon and I didn't want her to freak out 'cuz I was out for a smoke, with Lollipop girl of all people. I took a step towards the door to leave, but Harper stopped me.

"You were broken. Beth fixed you. That's clear as day, and it's a good thing, not gonna lie." She stood and walked in front of me to the door. "It means that whoever you killed, their weight's been lifted off your shoulders. But…I helped my sister kill our own mother…and then I killed my own son…I don't think I can be fixed. There isn't a person in the world who can take away _that_ kind of cruelty." She went silent, and neither of us dared to move. I felt like I'd been hit by a freight train just listening to her words. She really had nothing left...because she'd killed everything that was important to her. what kinda twisted person was she?

"In the end, when we're judge solely on our actions, we're all equally evil. At least, that's what the pastor used to tell me. Do you really think that's true?"

Harper walked through the door, letting it slam shut in my face. I just stood there, her words sinking into my bones. I'd wanted to know earlier why she killed two people and now I regret it. Harper let this shitty world take over her soul! She let her sister take control of her life, so much that Harper let go of any and all power she might have had to be a stronger person.

I wonder how much longer Harper can keep going before she simply stops_ feeling_ altogether. Can ya' even call someone like that _human_?


	12. Chapter 12

**Next chapter here ya go! :) Read and be amazed! Longest chapter yet and definitely the hardest to write, but soooooooo wroth it! :) Hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!  
><strong>

**(Beth's POV)**

I didn't have the strength to complain about being woke up at the crack of dawn. I could feel someone shaking my shoulder, gently but rough enough to get the point across. I sat up in bed, not sure how I got here though since I faintly recall falling asleep on Daryl's lap.

Daryl! I looked around. He wasn't there.

But Aurora was, leaning over me with a mischievous smile on her face. "Good morning."

"Morning," I replied, still groggy, not fully comprehending that it was now day and no longer night time. Time just seemed to blur nowadays.

"I have some fresh clothes laid out for you. There's also breakfast downstairs in the kitchen. I'll come find you when we're ready to start the tests." She did a sharp turn and briskly walked out the door, without the decency to close it. No questions. No comments. Just expecting that I'll get up, which I almost automatically do. _Way to go, Beth Greene. You haven't change much at all apparently._ Pathetic.

I looked around the room again, the memory of yesterday's events all suddenly sinking in. Mortuary. Harper and Aurora. Daryl. _Oh Daryl!_

I internally kick myself for dragging him along with me, but he had come of his own will, like he was still looking after me. I admired that about Daryl, his protectiveness. I can't shake the image of his piercing blue eyes, or the feeling of his hand in mine. There's a part of me that doesn't want to be without him, his protectiveness and his desire to be better than his past. I admire that about him. He's not what you'd expect just by looking at him. I'm privileged to know him. No one understands Daryl like I do. That's our bond. It's a precious thing I'm never going to lose. That's a promise.

I walked across the room to look through the slits in the boarded up windows. The sun's first rays were shining in, giving me just a glimmer of hope for the day. I quickly shut the door and undressed, finding a set of towels in the closet next to the bed. I still wonder what happened to Daryl. I'd half hoped he'd still be here when I woke up. Can't imagine what would pull him away from the room, but maybe it just got too awkward for him after all. His crossbow is gone so at least I know he's safe. That weapon is pretty much his baby, a deadly camouflage baby. He'd be lost without it. I wrap the towel around myself, gather some bath products I found in the closet as well. How long had it been since I shaved? God! I don't even wanna think about _that_! I opened the door…

…and hit a wall of rock solid muscles, smelling like fresh cigarettes, coming into the room as I was going out! I look up at Daryl. I felt my face reddening as I comprehended that I was merely wrapped in a flimsy towel, nothing else on! His face was turning a bright shade of crimson as well. Should I feel better that he's just as embarrassed as I am right now? I feel my face reddening further as I try to form coherent sentences.

"Oh…uh…sorry, Daryl!" I stutter as I shove my way past him heading for the bathroom at the end of the hall. He didn't say anything, just stood there with his mouth open, clearly in shock. I can feel his eyes staring into my back, which is downright creepy! And they're still staring back at me as I shut and lock the bathroom door, letting out a breath of relief that he hadn't walked-in on me undressing instead. Thank God! Though I have to admit, as I stared at myself in the bathroom mirror, hair all messy from yesterday and smelling like walker guts, the fact that he stared must have meant he was either in shock at my being naked underneath this towel, or he actually liked what he saw. My stomach fluttered at the thought.

_Oh shut up, Beth! What're you thinking? Of course he's in shock! He's Daryl Dixon for cryin' out loud!_

"Get a grip," I muttered under my breath before stepping into the steamy shower. The hot water felt so good! when was the last time I relaxed under a hot shower?! It relieved all the stress and decaying walker guts that surrounded me. Momentary paradise!

I really wonder what he thought of me though. I mean, isn't it only natural for a girl to think about a guy after he's seen her barely covered up? (I'm only eighteen after all, still a teenager with teenage hormones according to our previous society's standards.) Part of me hoped he thought I was at least somewhat pretty, but I have to keep reminding myself that _this was Daryl Dixon_, not some pervert walking down the street or a horny teenage boy peeping in the girls' locker room. If I was being honest with myself, Daryl probably didn't think much of anything once the initial shock wore off, except that I should learn to put more clothes on while walking around strange places.

I finished my shower, sooner than later 'cuz I could feel my stomach growling like a beast! I dried off, replacing my grubby walker guts clothes with the nice ones Aurora gave me. As I stood in front of the mirror putting my hair up, I realized that the jeans and white T-shirt I was wear looked so familiar…too familiar. _Shit! The front part of my forehead is killing me!_ Once again, pounding headache! I sincerely hope Aurora can fix that part of me, at the very least give me some extra strength pain killers. It's probably side effects of the gun shot wound. As I held my head in my hands, images flashed in front of me, images I don't really remember yet they're plain as day:

_A girl…no a walker! She's standing in front of me but…she's not moving towards me, or growling at me. Nothing! Oh God! I'm a walker again! This girl in front of me though, it looked like she was really pretty when she was alive…and she's wearing jeans and..._

I snapped my head back to reality! I stare at the mirror in front of me, at the girl in front of me, realizing that perhaps my horrific dreams are really just nightmares.

I'm wearing a dead girls' clothes.

**(Daryl's POV)**

Shit, Beth! You should really watch where you're going! Then again, _I_ should really watch where I'm going. She came out of that room with nothin' but a towel on … and damn! I think it'd be a lie to say I didn't go beat red in the face. Been a while since I've seen that much exposed skin on a woman. She blushed, and scurried away with her head down to the ground. If I had to be honest, she looked really cute though.

I paced around the room where Beth and I slept that night. The walls were blank. It was just simple wood furniture that'd probably been here before. It was plain, but it worked I guess. Still, there was something off about it…just like the rest of this place. i turned back around heading for the bathroom so I was closer to Beth, then I took another look at the door, running my fingers over the groove in the wood…but they weren't groves! No, this door was scratched up as hell and only one thing I know of in this fucked up world now that leaves scratches like this! Fuckin' walkers, and a lot of them! I was shaking, not out of nerves or anything but out of suspicion and the sudden chill that came over me. _Who were these_ _people? _

Then I heard Beth's scream. I ran through the door, knocking it off the hinges, running down to the end of the hall towards the bathroom. "Beth!" I all but shattered the bathroom door, bow loaded already and fully expecting to fire a bolt or two. No telling how many walkers could still be hiding in this place, or what the hell Lollipop Girl and Lady Scientist were doing with them. Everythin's just all fucked up!

But Beth was just standing there looking at her reflection in the mirror…looking scared shitless. "What's wrong?"

She didn't say anything. I lowered my bow, but kept it ready just in case. I've never been good at physical affection but I very carefully placed a hand on her shoulder, trying my best to comfort her also to hopefully convince her to tell me what the hell scared her so bad. 'Cuz she really was terrified.

I felt her take a shaky breath. I looked in the mirror, for the first time in like forever. It was awkward…this big rough-looking redneck, long shaggy hair and dirt all over, with his hand on a small, pretty blond woman's shoulder. I just about overwhelmed her. I shrugged off the feelings and turned Beth's head so I could look at her square in the eyes. "You screamed at somethin'. Now I wanna know what it was."

She took another shaky breath. Then her voice was almost too quiet. "I think I'm wearing a dead girl's clothes, Daryl…" Her voice trailed off.

"Beth…How would you know something like that?"

Beth turned back to look at herself in the mirror, a horrified look still plastered all over her face.

"And the worst part…" she continued, but barely audible, "I think I met her before…here…in this place…in one of these rooms." She looked at me, tears forming in her frightened baby blues. "She was a walker, Daryl!"

My eyes went wide, but this wasn't makin' no sense. "How do you know, Beth? You don't remember anything before you found me a couple days ago." I may have said this, but after finding scratch marks on the door in the guest room, her conclusion made sense to me, and _that conclusion_ was pretty damn frightening.

Beth shook her head, tears falling in waves now. "I don't know," she said burying herself in my chest. "I keep seeing things, and I get these headaches every time I do see something. It's like...like my brain doesn't want to remember anymore."

What am I supposed to do with a crying woman who's gripping my vest for dear life? Don't people hug or something? I never had that growing up. Far from it. Hesitantly, I placed both my hands on her back. I didn't wanna upset her anymore than she already was. Plus I don't even know if I _could_ give her a hug. Seems dumb to most people I know, but I got my reasons. My old man woulda beat me senseless right now. Well I musta been doing something right cuz she seemed to calm down instantly. It felt right, having her in my arms. _That's a good note to remember, Dixon_.

"C'mon," I grunted. "Let's get some answers." I tugged Beth along with me, practically dragged her out of the bathroom, stormed down the stairs and into the kitchen. I can only hope I'm angry enough that it shows on my face.

Without even thinking I aimed my bow at Aurora, sitting there so fucking pristine in the kitchen, like nothing bad ever fucking happened! She had this look of genuine shock on her face.

"What's wrong?" Like she don't already fucking know.

I looked over my shoulder at Beth, leaning against the doorway probably in shock as the missing pieces of recent events began to surface.

Harper, sitting on top of the fridge again, had taken up defense now, aiming what looked like a shiny new AKA auto at me. "Please don't make me shoot you, pretty boy," she stated very matter-of-factly. She didn't quite sound awake yet. Her cup of coffee fell to the floor. The mug shattered, but Harper didn't even flinch. Her concentration is fuckin' immense.

"I want fucking answers! She needs answers!" I pointed at Beth. She glanced up at me, her eyes brimming with tears about ready to spill out. She was a strong woman, I knew it, but this time she needed to step back and let me handle things. She needed a shoulder to cry on right now and answers to questions otherwise _I was gonna go stir crazy!_

Aurora took a deep breath in and exhaled slowly. "This isn't how I wanted to explain things to you, Beth. But if you insist…" she trailed off, standing and walking slowly over to some clipboard chart on the counter.

Harper lowers her weapon, but I know it's still loaded. She wasn't the type to back down from a fight. Kinda reminds me of Merle, without the mouth to go along with it.

"If you want answers, I'll give them to you freely, but first, lower your weapon, and Beth, come a little closer so you can hear me." Aurora had donned her lab coat and pulled back her hair, all business and none of it good so far as I was concerned. Still, Beth needed this.

We did as she asked, like fucking sheep being led to the slaughter, at least that's what I was picturin'. Beth stood next to me, close enough that I could feel the heat radiating off her already puffy cheeks and eyes. Man, I hated seeing her like that. I know she said nothing that happened that night and in the weeks that followed was ever my fault, but that doesn't take this feeling of utter failure away. Maybe if I hadn't been so damn happy...but that's Beth's doing and I don't wanna undo it...ever. If I ever got a chance to relive that day, I'd take it in a heartbeat. I wouldn't open the God damn door and let all Hell break loose.

Aurora cleared her throat before diving in. "So, I'm not sure how to best explain this so you'll understand it. I've never shared this information with Haper or even my research log. It's that important, and highly classified." Her eyes narrowed slightly, threatening. The hair on the back of my neck stood on end. My sense were suddenly _very_ aware of everything happening around us.

"Is that supposed to imply we're dumb or somthin'?" Beth's sudden statement made me look at her, who was staring right back at Aurora. She didn't need to threaten the Lady Scientist; every evil thing she wanted to say her eyes spoke it for her. This woman…the emotional stress she must be feelin'…I got no idea how she deals with it and _still_ has that intensity. No way I'd be able to be like her. _Yeah, Dixon, keep on dreamin'. _

"Well, you haven't exactly had years of biological research under your belt. I have." Aurora smiled so damn cockily.

_Fucking egotistical bitch!_ The thought stuck, but I didn't say it. No use starting a fire when one was definitely on the way. Beth said nothing either, but her arched eyebrows and body language definitely agreed with me. Her tears had dried up, I noticed.

Aurora cleared her throat again before diving into what I already knew was going to be some boring lecture with science shit in it.

"I knew it had to be a virus. It spread too rapidly to be anything else. But the fact that a virus could live inside dead flesh and blood is a biological impossibility. So I switched tactics and focused on what could live inside dead flesh and I stumbled on the idea of a parasite. They can live inside a live host for decades and remain undetected, but they can also feed off of dead flesh if necessary. Now, this particular parasite must have viral qualities associated with it to spread from person to person by bite and to infect and kill so quickly. Thus…" Aurora paused for a minute. Silence. Clearly what came next wasn't gonna be good. "There is _no way_ this "disease," if you want to call it that, could've appeared in nature. There are too many biological irregularities. This was undoubtedly created in a highly sophisticated laboratory."

The room was dead quiet. Even Harper had nothing to say, which wasn't unusual but she didn't have any facial expression either. Her face was a blank slate. It made her look deadly, like a walker. I glanced at Beth, then Aurora...everyone had the same expression:

_Some bastard actually created this thing!_

"Who?" Beth's voice squeaked out. It was barely audible. "Who could do something like this? Maybe it was an accident?" She tried to sound hopeful, just like Beth, always believin' in the good in people. But sometimes just havin' the good in ya' just ain't enough. Her eyes were downcast; she already knew there couldn't possibly be any good left in whoever made our lives a literal living Hell.

"Unlikely. I may not know who, but I know that to create something of this caliber requires genius and lots of government security, even if the government doesn't know a thing about it." Aurora's eyes cast down. "Science is bound by the natural world. Sometimes, we feel compelled to see just how far we can push those bounds. For a certain individual, it seems he or she managed to break boundaries entirely. Certainly a horrifying yet remarkable feat of scientific enterprise."

Another dose of silence. The clock on the wall above me ticked ominously. It ain't so much the fact that walkers existed. It's that a _human being_ made them! Christ! How fucked up do you have to get to think up this..._thing?! _Shit.

"But there is a cure, as is evident by Beth's remarkable recovery. I'd been working on developing a cure for this disease since the outbreak. Now that work has finally paid-off." She sounded relieved, and of course like a damn ego-centric bitch, but the mention of the cure seemed to put just a little shine in Beth's eyes, which made me feel better...somehow. "We're all infected. You know that right?"

We nodded. Back at the CDC, Jenner told Rick something similar, but of course Rick decided that it was best to hide vital information from us. The guy seriously needed to take a load off his back. He always carried the weight and sometimes it didn't help anyone. It just meant at the time, after losin' the farm, we'd all eventually end up like them- walkers.

Aurora looked from me, to Beth, and surprisingly to Harper before continuing her stare at the clipboard. Wonder if she wrote this whole thing out or just used it to focus. Either way, she wouldn't make eye contact for more than a second.

"Well, when our bodies are exposed over a certain amount of time to a virus, we develop antibodies to naturally help fight off another attack from the same virus. It's our natural defense system. Once enough antibodies are created, even if a person contracts the virus again they won't become as sick or may not become sick at all due to the defense their body has created to help block the virus from penetrating and killing."

"So…It's like the chicken pox?" Beth was putting the pieces together a lot faster than I was, but that was to be expected. We both knew I wasn't getting any awards for academic excellence. I just let the women do the talkin'.

Aurora nodded in agreement. "Exactly. For most people, a person gets the chicken pox once and they don't get it again. Now sometimes the body needs to contract a virus more than once to develop the appropriate amount of antibodies to defend itself, but there aren't as many reported cases of individuals contracting chicken pox twice. Now, I had a theory the same could be said for this disease since it does have viral qualities. In fact, you could say it's merely an infection we all carry up to the point it's activated via death or bite, which ups the viral count and overwhelms the body's defenses. Hence, why we die via bite or death. The parasite makes its home in the brain stem and waits for death in order to thrive. You could say those zombies walking around outside have literally become the physical manifestations of the parasite."

"Hold up!" I had my hand rubbing my temples, trying to keep up with her very scientific explanation. "You sayin' that walkers are literally walking bugs? Ain't that what parasites are? Bugs?"

"Yes."

I nodded, appreciative for once of the lack of explanation. But when I looked at Beth, she seemed sad for some reason. Probably from callin' them parasites. Guess once you call a walker a life-size bug it only puts them farther and farther away from any memory of being human.

I was pulled from my thoughts by the sound of Aurora's voice…again.

"If I may continue, let me say that my theory was that all of our bodies are fighting hard as we speak to fend off the viral portion of this disease which already resides in us. Whenever we get the chicken pox, our bodies are aided in fighting off the virus by antibiotics. It makes the process go faster, thus rendering the chicken pox virus completely non-lethal. As you can imagine, _there are no antibiotics_ _for this disease_." She paused letting the heavy weight of her last comment sink in.

Hope Beth got a whole lot more outta that than I did. I'm ain't a smarty pants but it seemed to me like Aurora was hiding somethin'.

Beth's voice squeaked out. "You haven't said anything about how to cure it yet. Did you develop the vaccine? Or antibiotics?" If her voice was any indication, she was just as annoyed at Aurora's lengthy discussion as I was. This had gone on long enough. Just cut to the chase already.

"She's right, lady. Cut the shit and just get to the point," I spat, hoping a little force might aid Beth's plea. Can't have her stressin' out now.

"Well, I supposed all I had to do was kill the viral qualities within the parasite, thus rendering it helpless as far as transmission and lethality," Aurora said, plastering a broad smile on her face like she'd just won the damn Peace Prize! This ain't some fucking joke! I rolled my eyes and almost made it out of the kitchen, thoroughly fed up and pissed off at this mother fucking scientist, when Beth grabbed my arm. Just the slightest touch, and I froze in place. Why the hell does this woman drive me to do the very opposite of what every instinct tells me to do? Not a damn clue.

I looked in Beth's eyes, the tears having been replaced by longing, and hope. Her big blue eyes were just amazing to look at, especially now when the whole world was gone to shit and she still had hope left. I often found myself getting lost in them. I shook my head, trying to get the thoughts of her out before losing interest in the present situation altogether.

Aurora cleared her throat. Still not done? How long was this gonna take? I sat down next to Beth, slouching a little, arms crossed. I was never a teacher's favorite student. Most days I didn't even show up to class. Just couldn't sit still...still can't.

"The cure…" Aurora started then stopped, looking at Harper. They exchange knowing glances and Harper exited the kitchen. Curious. "Well…when we found Beth, she had actually survived the gunshot wound. However, she was, figuratively speaking, on death's doorstep."

Beth cast her eyes down. I looked back at Aurora, the painful memories of the hospital reemerging and now stinging because I'd carried her out and buried her…_alive_! I balled my fists. It was just too much. Just another point to prove how much I'd failed her that night!

"Don't get too angry. She wasn't technically alive when Harper found her. She had no heartbeat, no breath, no sign of life. Harper has this keen instinct for finding people. A genuine tracker if you will."

I rolled my eyes. Sure, Harper was tough. Maybe she could track. Still don't explain how she knew Beth was alive. "How'd she find Beth anyways?"

"Oh, according to Harper, Beth dug herself out of a shallow grave then passed out again. I can't imagine having much strength left after being shot, left for dead, and then digging yourself up. Exhausting." Aurora said this with a slight chuckle, like she was mocking all the effort and strength Beth had given to continue living. Disgusting.

I looked around for Harper, only just now realizing she'd totaly disappeared somewhere. Girl's stealthy, that's for sure. And just as dangerous. Somethin' wasn't sittin' well. I got a bad feelin', made me reach for my bow, anger mixing with anoyance and fear...not for me though. For Beth.

"You got no fucking right to talk!" I spit in Aurora's face. "Beth's so much stronger than you know."

"Indeed she is," Aurora said staring at Beth a little too suspiciously for my liking. "Her body was the first one I found that was adamantly fighting off the disease all by itself."

At this, Beth's head shot up. Her eyes lit up, like she had some sorta epiphany or somethin'. "You mean…I was healing myself?"

Aurora nodded. "You're the first person I've come across who had enough natural defenses built up that all I needed to do was isolate which virus the creator used in conjunction with the parasite and administer the appropriate, already manufactured antibiotics to aid your immune system."

My mind was spinning. I may not be a genius but I certainly understood what she was getting at. Beth had survive not just the gunshot, but also turning int o a walker. "So we all can fight it off, right?"

Beth nodded. "Yes, that's exactly what Aurora is saying. Our bodies are finally at the point where they can develop enough of a defense that we actually have a decent shot at surviving this hell hole!"

Really? Holy fuckin' Jesus Christ! Then, we have a chance! It's what everyone has been wishing for! _Nah, Daryl. No gettin' your hopes up too soon._ Life experience told me, there's always a catch. Always. Despite my inner happiness, I didn't let it show on my face, though the shock was probably already there.

Beth stood up from her chair and looked at me, frantic. "We have to let Rick and Maggie and the others know, Daryl! They have no idea that there's a cure! We _all _could live!"

"Alright, alright, already. Just calm down." I hated to dampen the mood but somethin' was still off about this whole conversation, maybe not on the outside but I could feel it.

"Oh dear…" Aurora sighed. "I'm afraid, Beth, that you may have misunderstood me."

Aurora and Beth locked eyes. Beth looked anxious. I didn't understand anything either, but I just had a gut feeling something bad was gonna happen. I picked up my bow, still loaded form earlier. _Breathe. Breathe..._

"You see, I can't let you leave Beth. You have the cure, but I need to assess damages to your internal organs, your blood, your brain…Everything has to be checked and rechecked. You understand, right? I _need access_ to your blood, since the cure resides inside you."

What does she mean "we can't leave"? We can leave if we damn well choose to leave! "We ain't your God damn pets that you can just lock up, lady! We're leavin'! Beth!" I decided to leave before my anger spun out of control as I backed away from the kitchen, pushing Beth behind me. Lady Scientist was just giving me bad feelings and I needed to get Beth out before the true mad scientist reared her damn ugly head.

I made for the front door, turned around…but what I saw standing in front of me rooted my feet to the floor. Beth screamed! Held out my hand to steady her as both of us frantically drew weapons and spun back 'round to face Aurora and now Harper who appeared beside her sister, wielding her AKA like an expert. The only way in and out of the mortuary was now blocked by three walkers chained to the walls with a few feet of chain for stretch out. They were a lot like Michonne's, no arms, but these ones still had the biting jaws of death. Harper's work, no doubt. _Fuck! No way we gettin' outta this mess! Just keep gettin' caught up in damn happy moments, thinkin' everything's okay!_ We were trapped. Prisoners. I held my gaze steady on Harper, who returned my gaze with an equally steady gaze of her own. She wasn't annoyed now. She was evil- Her eyes radiated evil intent. Beth must have seen the same thing as she looked into Aurora's eyes because she drew her own weapon and readied herself for a fight, right beside me, much like we used to when it was just the two of us against a heard of walkers.

"I can't let you leave, Beth," Aurora restated. "The cure is in your blood, so I need to take it from you in order to analyze what made you so special."

Her voice was dripping with evil. I looked at Beth, still ready for a fight. She looked back up at me, knowing fully well we weren't getting out of here anytime soon.

But until then, I no one was gonna touch Beth.

**A/N: Oh my gosh you guys! Tell me what you think! Yeah I did a lot of scientific research for this, but by no means should you think that makes me an expert! I just needed to create something that I thought would be believable and fit the makings of a zombie. That's all! I give lots of credit to the _Journal of Microbiology_ and the numerous Spanish Flu articles inside. (Yeah, I went total "med school kid" with this chapter.) **

**Pleeeeeeeeeasse comment and follow/fav! It keeps me motivated to know you like this story! Lots of Bethyl fluffies coming up next chapter! ;) **

**Until next time! -W.P.**


	13. Chapter 13

**Hello, my lovlies! I hope all is well in your individual fan fiction universes. Here is the next chapter! It's got fluffies this time! Bethyl fluffies! My Spotify list kept looping back around to "Dust to Dust" by The Civil Wars, so the song had a big impact on this chapter too. :)  
><strong>

**I received great responses to my last chapter! I hope this one can get them same, because it's Bethyl and they deserve a little love, you know?**

**Enjoy! Comment and follow! -W.P.**

* * *

><p><strong><span>(Beth's POV)<span>**

It was absolutely stifling in that little room. I felt like the walls might close in on us at any moment. Kinda like the hospital. Just…trapped. Can't get out. Can't shrink in on myself either though, not if I wanted to live. We were totally weaponless; Harper gave both Daryl and I a thorough pat-down to make sure we weren't hiding anything, expert military person that she is. If she wasn't a woman I'm sure Daryl would've ripped her head off. Then again, he still might, if we ever get out of this room. I hated just sitting there, feeling helpless. I proved I was strong enough to break free of Dawn and Grady Memorial Hospital, only to be sucked back to a place from the best and worst night of my life as some prized science experiment. Pathetic.

I rushed to wipe away a tear that had found its way down my cheek. _I can't let Daryl see me like this. No way. Not after I set out to prove I was capable of handling myself._ But was I really? Aurora got under my skin so fast, attacking my hope and my family. She said it was for the "greater good," words I heard so often from Dawn's mouth weeks earlier. Is that the way the world works now? Does the individual person suffer so the rest can aimlessly move on? Self-sacrifice is one thing, but to be forced to be weak to the help the "strong" survive is something else entirely. It's so damn messed up!

"You fuckin' piece a shit! Bitch!" Daryl was screaming profanities at the door, kicking and beating it till his knuckles were beyond bloody. I just sat and stared at him, at his actions. He was like some caged animal…Wait, that's _exactly _what he was. Me too, technically speaking, though I know better than to try to knock down a door that Harper had reinforced with some special metal Aurora created. We were stuck in the basement of the mortuary, her "laboratory," which consisted of nothing more than dead walker bodies and empty beaker glasses. The smell of rotting flesh was killing me! Most of the glasses were shattered now, thrown against the door by the hands of raging Daryl. I recognized the place as soon as I was shoved in. It was the same place where Daryl wrapped up my ankle as I admired him, and told him how beautiful a dead walker in a funeral suit was.

_Huh…I wonder who it was that dressed up the walker, gave him a funeral?_

"Shit! Fuckin' shit trash!" Daryl screamed, pacing in front of the door.

"I don't think we're gonna get out of here anytime soon, Daryl," I said sliding down to the floor from my leaning position against the far wall opposite the door.

He looked at me. Pure rage engulfed those amazingly blue fists were balled up tight, blood seeping from his knuckles.

"There's no point in wasting you energy. We'll need it later when we can get out."

He just stared at me. "I ain't just gonna sit around, not doin' a damn fuckin' thang!" With that, he resumed his beating at the door, still not making a dent. He wasn't going anywhere anytime soon, and he knew that. Maybe it was just his way of taking out his anger and frustration. I noticed that he tried his best not to look at me, catching himself every time our eyes met only to fixate them on the door again, kicking it to the point I thought he might break his foot. I can't say this, not to him at least, but he really is a caring person. In the time I've known Daryl, the time we were out on the road all by ourselves, I've grown closer to him. He never once took his anger out on me. That time at the moonshine shack, he was yelling for sure but he didn't touch me in any way that would hurt me, and he continued looking the other way. I admired him for that. People judged him by his rough exterior so often and as a consequence they rarely got to see the real man behind the dirt and grime and gore that almost endlessly covered his was...beautiful...inside and out. I would never admit that though.

I hadn't noticed he stopped, or that I had been staring into space, lost in my own thoughts for quite some time. I felt someone shaking me, though not violently by any means. I blinked a couple times. My blue eyes met his sapphire ones. They were full of concern…for me?

"What?" My voice squeaked as it came out. How long was I staring into space? Long enough apparently to forget about speaking.

"You okay?" He knelt in front of me, voice rough and breathing still ragged from trying, unsuccessfully, to kick the door down.

I nodded, feeling a bit awkward by his closeness. Daryl must've felt it too. He stood and walked over to sit on the only cot in the room. I watched the wings on his back, angel wings. In the hospital I often thought of those wings, wondered if they'd guide me int he right direction as I struggled to make it through each day.

_There's a thought, Beth. A guardian angel._

I couldn't help but giggle, smile a little even.

"What's so damn funny?"

I looked over at Daryl, lying on the cot propped up with his elbows. He had great arms for sure. Oh God, where did that thought come from?

"Nothing," I lied. He was already an insecure person. I didn't wanna make him feel even more uncomfortable than he already was, sharing this tiny space with me. I bet he missed the open sky as much I as did.

His eyes narrowed, but they were still somehow soft towards me. I can't help but feel stunned that this gruff man could put aside all his roughness and become a caring, protective man for just about anybody who really needed him.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to laugh," I said breaking eye contact. If I stared at his big blue eyes any longer I might faint. Already I felt a blush threatening to creep up my neck.

"Fine," he said turning his back to me. I tried to focus my attention on something else, something other than Daryl, or the wings on his vest, or his amazingly blue eyes and muscular arms. I tried to comprehend the fact that we both were now prisoners to some mad scientist and her crazy, loyal, military-grade sister. Apparently the cure could be derived from a mixture of antibiotics and my white blood cells. I have no doubt Aurora will bleed me dry until she finds what she's looking for. Then she might reanimate me just to try again!

I sighed, slumping my shoulder in defeat. No, I couldn't give up now. But there really didn't seem to be a way out of this place. Harper had begun fortifications when Daryl and I stumbled on the place a few months ago. It was her stash we raided, though she didn't seem to care one way or another if we ate her PB&J and pigs' feet.

Now, thinking back on that night…It seemed like an eternity ago. Just Daryl and I surviving in this cruel world together. Our relationship had changed that night, it changed the minute I looked into his eyes and said the dumbest little 'oh' I could've possibly said at that moment! Why 'oh'? It's like my brain didn't wanna function right then, the moment I most needed it to function! _Beth Greene, you're a horrible person for not saying anything but 'oh'!_

Then a thought struck me. "Hey, Daryl?"

I received a typical Daryl grunt in reply. Clearly he wasn't in the mood to talk, but I didn't care if he was. It's not like we were going anywhere. Talking, clearing the unspoken air between us, would help pass the time at the very least.

"We never did finish that conversation you know."

He turned around, questioning eyes. "What you talkin' about?"

"You know…the conversation we were having…before I was taken…before the walkers swarmed the house…" I knew that night was a touchy subject for Daryl. I didn't wanna push it…but at the same time I really did.

Daryl didn't say anything, just looked at me with his gorgeous eyes. _Oh God! I'm seriously gonna start turning into a damn tomato if I keep lookin' at him!_

Keep talking. That's the key. "Um…well I'd asked you what changed your mind, about there being good people left in the world." I chose my next words carefully. I didn't want him to know the amount of emotions I felt sitting across from him that night, or the number of times I replayed those events while in the hospital, desperately praying to God for a rewrite of that night. Cautiously, I continued. "I just wanna say I'm sorry. I guess I just didn't know what to say, and I still wasn't sure what you meant. What I said...'oh'...that was a pretty weak answer."

Freeze. I let what I said sink in. I watched him as it did, never taking his eyes off me. They were still so reserved, hiding behind roughness and ol' fashioned country grit. He was about as shy as me on the inside. I'd broken down his walls, that much I knew, but there was still so much work to be done on Mr. Dixon that I suddenly doubted if I could do it. I'm strong, but am I strong enough to tackle his beasts along with him?

"What am I supposed to say to that?" he asked and paused a while before continuing. "I just…I don't know…Dunno what I'm supposed to say."

"You just say what you want, whatever's on your heart." I stood and walked over to the cot, standing in front of him so we were closer. It felt right, being this close to him. He sat up, leaning against the wall, looking about as shy as I felt, but I couldn't let my shyness show. I wanted to be strong for him. Ever so gently, I brushed the shaggy mess of hair from his eyes. I needed to see his thoughts, know he was taking everything in.

"You can trust me, Daryl. Please trust me. Anything you need to say, anything at all, just tell me. After all," I decided to switch tactics and insert some knowledge he might relate to, "you did teach me use _your _crossbow. I know you wouldn't trust just anyone with that weapon of yours." I smiled…and he gave a chuckle. His lips were twisting into that cute smirk of his. My God, this man! For some reason, he just _got to me_!

"You're right. I really don't trust just anyone with my bow." Though the smirk faded, the care that he had stored up inside his heart shown even brighter. It practically radiated off him. "That night…if I could go back and never open that door again I'd take the chance. I meant what I said…about staying here with you, makin' it work with whoever was coming back…" His voice trailed off, so did the look in his eyes as he left the persistent gaze I was pinning on him.

I finished his sentence for him, knowing it was about Aurora and Harper. "Something tells me I don't think we'd have worked so well with the people here anyway." I chuckled and smiled, which he responded with a simple nod and another smirk. If that was all I got, a smirk and a chuckle, I suppose I should take it as progress.

"Then we'd have found another place, one where it could've been just you and me. I just…" He trailed off, looking deep into my eyes now. _This was what he was trying to say that night, I know it!_ My heart was beating almost unbearably fast. Truthfully, I didn't know what to expect, though I hoped it was everything good with none of the horrible shit this world had to offer us. _US? Where did that come from?_

He took a deep breath. "Just wanted the two of us to stop running…maybe…start over…"

Oh…_What am I supposed to say to that?_ Funny, those were the same words Daryl said to me about expressing feelings. I guess we're both sorta shy that way.

Not knowing what to say, I just looked down at my hands, now resting uncomfortably in my lap…which gave me a thought, though I'm not sure how he'll react to this one. I just know that whenever I'm feeling down I need reassurance of some sort, a comforting gesture. Been like that since I was little, and I _really _needed something right now! The only problem here is that Daryl doesn't react well to being touched. But what harm could this do? He'd already held my hand once, standing over the grave I'd silently dedicated to my father. He'd carried me, three times. What harm could this do?

Hesitantly, I looked down at both our hands as mine found their way into his, lacing our fingers together like before. I looked up. Surprisingly he wasn't flinching or moving in the slightest. He just stared at me, probably thinking the same thoughts I was.

I loved the feel of his hand in mine. It was such a stark contrast, light and life pressed against a history of darkness and death. I smiled at him, which he returned. _I think I really like this, holding hands with Daryl._ I felt content to stay right here for the rest of the night.

Daryl opened his mouth to say something, but didn't have the chance. I heard the impenetrable door unlocking. Daryl was on his feet instantly, releasing my hand, his smile replace by a scowl. He gently pushed me behind him, all protective now when less than a minute ago he was practically pouring his soul out to me. I don't think I'll ever grow tired of that protective quality in him. In fact, I might go so far as to say I hoped he'd do that forever.

But my thoughts didn't have time to dwell on Daryl as Aurora stepped through the door, carrying a basket full of needles, test tubes, and bandages.


	14. Chapter 14

**Here's the next chapter! It's all Bethyl fluffiness as Daryl and Beth are slowly realizing they feel so much more for the each other than they realized before. A great song I recommend for this one is Nickleback's "Never Gonna Be Alone." **

**Also, we're over halfway through this story and I have all but the last two chapters of it already written and ready for editing. I'll be posting another story soon; I've already started writing the first two chapters actually. The story's called "Big City, Little Princess," an AU Bethyl FF. So if you really like AUs, keep a look out for that one!**

**And thank you to all my loyal readers, followers, and reviewers! You keep me going and it's great to know people out there like what I'm writing. :)**

* * *

><p><strong><span>(Daryl's POV) <span>**

"Looks painful." I winced along with Beth. Yeah, definitely painful. Sure I've bled before, but this, forcefully and purposefully taking blood out of a human body, was some other kinda torture I didn't wanna see. Sure as hell hated seeing it done to Beth.

But Beth just kept looking at me. When she was hurtin' her pretty blue eyes shook, like an earthquake disrupted a body of peaceful water. I wish I could help, take the pain away somehow. Then we could share the pain; It wouldn't be so one-sided. Can't do nothin' though, not with that needle in her arm. I'm sure she wanted to cry, but she was stronger than I ever thought before, a lot stronger than anyone remembered her. Part of me wishes she'd just tell me what the hell happened to her at Grady Memorial but I know she's still reeling from the experience herself. Don't wanna push her. Just wanna know who gave her those scars and whether or not they're already dead. My gut's tellin' me they are, I just know it.

I don't know why I feel this way. Every time I look at her my stomach just drops a little bit. Do I fear for her life? Yeah, I guess so, but it's more than just that. She brought up the time before her abduction, when we were content to stay here and try to make peace with whoever showed up for their stash. She wanted _us_ to stay here, as in _me and her_. In retrospect, that really _wouldn't have worked_. Period. Not with these bitches runnin' the place. Well…Harper I could learn to tolerate. Aurora though…

I stopped thinking. Never was one for playing out 'what if' scenarios. They always played out worse than I thought. But Beth would be one to play out 'what if's. She'd be adamant about it too, pushing me to use my own damn imagination. Maybe it's her innocence, or the fact that she still managed to keep it together after going through Hell and back, literally. In that way, she should be given the grand medal for perseverance.

"And…that's it." Aurora finished drawing the last vile of blood from Beth's right arm. She stuck a swab of gauze over the hole and taped it, stopping the crimson blood from flowing out of her body. Beth didn't look so good, white as a sheet in fact.

"She looks sick," I said pushing myself up from the wall. My guard was up, though I couldn't do anything so long as the mad lady scientist was in the room and had enough needles to kill all of us, with medical training too. All it took was one puncture to the jugular vein and either Beth or me would bleed out on the floor. I looked at Beth, who stared back at me with tired eyes. She looked really pale and for a minute I thought she might pass out.

"She'll be fine. Just make her eat some of these and her strength will return in no time," Aurora said pointing to a stack of PB&J then turning on her heel and practically running for the door, looking like a kid at Christmas time, like this was some big fucking playhouse for her and we were her life-size dolls! The door bolted shut behind her, leaving Beth and I alone in this damn place.

Beth didn't say anything, just looked at her arm all gauzed up.

"You okay?"

She nodded. "Yeah, just never had that much blood taken out of me at one time. Must be what it feels like to lose a lot of blood when your fighting." She chuckled at that and looked back at me.

I shook my head. I didn't wanna think about anything else right now. It was all about Beth, her safety and well-being. To see her so weak made me weak too. I moved to sit next to her, then stopped myself. I didn't wanna be too close, in case she didn't wanna be touched after Aurora, but then again she did hold my hand earlier and I didn't mind it one bit. Not used to people touchin' me and all, but Beth always seemed…what? Different? I guess, but different in a good way. Warm and hopeful kinda different. It emanated from every inch of her body.

"It's okay, Daryl." Beth's voice pulled me away from my thoughts. She'd moved to stand beside me. She was so close it was driving me nuts! "Daryl, you don't need to worry that I'm going to break. I won't. I'm fine. Really."

Her eyes said so too. They were insistent blue eyes, not like a sapphire blue but more of a baby blue, soft and pretty, like everything else about her. She was almost too fragile for her own good and yet she was definitely resilient, proved she could make it in this world. She was a survivor.

"Yeah. You can keep sayin' that if ya' wanna. Don't mean I gotta listen."

She smiled, and it was a big smile that came straight from her heart. "I knew you cared, Daryl Dixon. You actually care a lot, huh? Just don't show it is all."

I tried to blow her off, shaking my head, staring at the wall behind her. But it didn't stop the fact that she was right. I did care about her, though she probably meant the whole group, or humanity in general. I dunno. But I did care about her. I felt like whatever happens to her is as much my responsibility as it is her own.

"I ain't one for carin' about other people…"

"That's not true and you know it. Just don't wanna admit it." Her chin jutted out just slightly, enough to say she wasn't gonna let me get away without admitting I cared. Her eyes were penetrating- She could see every inch of my soul, everything I tried so hard to cover up with dirt and grime.

I just shrugged in reply. It was hard to care about anyone or anything else besides her right now. As much as I wanted to tell her that, it would probably come out wrong if I said anything. She might be offended that I don't think of Rick and Carl, or Judith and Maggie, or anyone else for that matter. At least, not at the moment. The last thing I wanna do is hurt her feelings. So I won't say anything.

"Well…" She stepped closer to me, we were only inches apart now, standing right in the middle of the room. I felt like…exposed or somethin'. I don't know. Just sure as hell wasn't comfortable. "At least I know you do. So long as I know, I guess I'm okay with that." She smiled at me, like she understood _why _I chose to be the way I am. This woman just…understood. Never had that confidence in another person before.

But …maybe…maybe I should just let her know…that I care…

"I do care, Beth. I do care about what happens to you right now. Don't think I don't."

I got a small smile in return. _Fuck!_ I shouldn't have said anything! Her eyes left mine, boring holes in my chest now, which I could somehow still feel. Or was it just the fact I couldn't comprehend anything else except Beth's understanding eyes at the moment? I couldn't see them but I could feel them.

My mind wandered back to the prison, how Beth was always so gentle and sweet, how Lil' Asskicker loved her about as much as she loved me. Maybe we were both caring in nature, but I was far from able to show it; Beth just radiated affection. How in the world did the two of us get stuck here?

Beth was the first person I ever opened up to about my past, my insecurities, my utter guilt over the fall of the prison. She didn't judge me. She made a man out of the boy I used to be, for 36 long years. She told me that I couldn't be who I was in the past but I could still be the man she knew, the man I am now. I didn't know how much of a man I was, but it was like someone finally gave me a piece of life I could cling to, a shred of hope that might just get me through whatever shit I'm thrown. I'd lost it when she died, turned into a crumpled mess on the freshly dug grave unworthy of being called a man. Now maybe, just maybe, I could find it again with Beth's help.

Shit. Here she is bleeding out so we can live another day and I'm asking her for help. _Shit, Dixon, you are one insensitive asshole_.

Beth then did something I really wasn't expecting. She took my hand in hers, leaned up and kissed me on the cheek. It was just a peck, but it felt more like a shock wave flowing through my body. I looked down at her through my dark fringe of hair, frozen, unsure of what to do. Why'd she do that? It sent weird flashes of light in front of my face, and I suddenly felt a little dizzy just standing there. Now what? Do I return with a kiss too, or is that just like some shitty teen romance movie?

"I care about you too, Daryl," Beth said looking straight at me with those pretty blue eyes. Her hand was still in mine, and I, almost unconsciously, took the other one. It felt weird for sure- Holding hands was never something I experienced before. I could hear Merle's voice in my head clear as day, _Holding hands like a little girl, Darylina_! But her tiny hands in my big calloused ones…It felt right as rain.

And all this time I thought I was numb to feelings like this. Guess Beth broke down that emotional wall too, huh?

How long did we stand there like two love sick teenagers caught in the headlights? Dunno, but a while apparently, 'cuz Beth still wasn't looking too good, started to sway a bit, and I realized then she hadn't eaten anything yet. _Stupid! Lettin' myself get caught up in the moment when she could be dying of starvation! _

I dropped her hands and walked over to the stack of sandwiches and handed her one. PB&J wasn't my favorite, but anything is better than nothing in this world_. _

We sat on the floor, eating PB&J, total silence. It kinda reminded me of the days when it was just me and Beth, before the moonshine shack and the sob fest that came with it. It was a contented silence between us before Beth decided she wanted her damn drink and set off to get it. Honestly, that was the first time I thought of her as anything other than a young dumb blondie who needed constant surveillance to make sure she stayed safe. She's fierce. She really is. I know she can take care of herself.

However, that doesn't stop this growing need to constantly protect her, make sure I'm there if she ever needs me. I know she can take care of herself but I still feel a desire to care for her, to keep her out of harm's way. _Good job, Daryl. You went and fucked that up real quick._

"Too bad we don't have any moonshine, right?" Beth chuckled as she said it. She must be thinkin' back to those days too.

I couldn't take my eyes off her. I remember watching her creep up to that fuckin' walker, getting a good shot in despite getting' caught in a bear trap. I had prayed to God nothing was broken. The amount of concern I had…still have for this girl…_woman_…it's…speechless. I dunno what's goin' on with me, but every time I think about her singing in the viewing room I'm left speechless. Couldn't take my eyes off her then, for some reason still can't now. Man…This is gettin' ridiculous for a messed up redneck from backwoods Georgia.

I need to break the silence. Somethin'. Anythin'! "You feelin' better now?" I asked, for lack of better conversation.

She shrugged. "Wasn't feelin' bad before." She half smiled at me, but her mind was elsewhere. She was thinkin' of somethin'.

"What's on your mind?"

She looked confused for a minute. She really thinks I can't tell when she's thinkin' of somethin'? I know her better than she thinks I do. "Come on. What's up?"

She shook her head. "Nothin'."

"Bullshit it's nothin'."

She rolled her eyes at me. _Stubborn woman!_

"You made me talk to you. Now it's only fair return the _favor_," I said, a little more than annoyed that she wasn't talking. She always talked to me.

She glanced at me, making direct eye contact too, like she didn't wanna say what she was thinkin'. Don't know why though.

"Ain't got nothin' else to do around here so may as well get it out. Speak your mind, woman."

_Oh shit! Did I really just say that?_

"I still have no idea why I'm miraculously alive." Beth stated as a matter of fact. She finished her PB&J, leaning against the cabinet sullen and withdrawn. Well guess I would be too if I just brought up a topic like that. Deep shit, man.

I sighed. Didn't know how to comfort really, never did. But I didn't want her getting' so down she got too weak. No tellin' when Aurora was comin' back for more. Hesitantly, I moved to sit beside Beth against the cabinet. I didn't say anything. If she wants to talk, I'll just listen, but I won't push her into talking. I know she'll open up eventually; that's just her nature.

How long did we sit there? Coulda been hours, but there really wasn't a way to tell time locked up in a basement. Couldn't even tell when the sun rose or and set.

I looked over at Beth, just a quick look, but she caught my eye regardless. Her eyes said she wanted to cry, but Beth would never let herself. No, she'll stay strong. There's no point in cryin' anymore these days.

She parted her lips like she was gonna say something… pretty lips… _Oh man! Fuck no! _I broke eye contact. I felt my stomach tighten. I know what's happening now. I dropped my head, closed my eyes, prayin' that I didn't just feel what I know I felt inside. I needed to get my mind out of the gutter and focus on getting the two of us outta here!

I felt Beth's gentle touch on my shoulder, bringing me back to reality with her beautiful voice. Didn't flinch, I noticed, probably because I was so comfortable around this woman I welcomed her touch.

"Daryl?" Her voice was sweet, soothing.

"Yeah?" I still didn't look at her. I'd lose it if I did.I can't afford to loose control around her.

"When I was in the hospital, Dawn told me I was weak. Every damn day she told me. She said it was her job to keep me safe, and my payment for the protection was working as her ward. She said I was helping her for the greater good. I figured out early on that I had to fend for myself or she and the other cops were gonna tear me apart. They could feed me to the walker hoard in the basement whenever they wanted. Though Dawn always said we made our own choices, we never did. I guess, when I tried to kill her, I wanted her to know I wasn't weak, that neither she nor this living hell had any control over me. I'd already killed two cops, protecting myself and protecting Dawn once too. I knew I could do it...kill her…if I really wanted to…if I had enough of a good reason to kill her…And I did…at the end…"

Beth squeaked out the end, then went quiet. I saw a few tears, but she was holding back the real flood that was trying to get out. She was shaking.

What was I supposed to say? I ain't good with words, especially not in these circumstances. But my brain somehow managed to kick into action, recalling the moments at the moonshine shack."You told me once you wished you could change. Ya' did. Never woulda pegged you for a killer, but clearly you can. Ya' did." I just said it as it came to my head so I can only hope that's what she needed to hear. I believe she is both strong and beautiful. She killed three people and still managed to be Beth- sweet, gentle, caring, yet stubborn as hell. And persistent too. She never did shy away from me, even when I was a total dick in a drunken frustrated rage.

Beth was lookin' at me, her eyes screaming at me for somethin', I just didn't know what. I kept looking from her eyes to the floor and back. Now what? What does she want me to say? I feel like I'm sixteen again and trying to get my first girl!

"You really think so?" Beth voice was barely a whisper, but I hear it.

"Yeah." I meant it. She was different, yet still the same Beth I wandered around with for months. I knew her well enough then, now I wanna know everything. I wannna be beside her, protect her. I want to see her face every day from here on out. _No more mistakes. None._

Beth smiled, only a small smile but it was better than the blankness and sadness I'd seen in the last few hours. Guess that means I didn't say anything too horrible.

_Feels like a damn make-out scene in some romance movie. _

Beth wrapped her arms around me then, which I wasn't expecting but I didn't flinch away neither. What do I do here? It was awkward, and felt constricting. So I didn't do anything. Not that I didn't want to. Just really didn't know what I was supposed to do.

"You should get some sleep," I said, tentatively reaching up to lightly touch her shoulder. She didn't shudder, neither did I.

Beth looked up at me. Her eyes were staring to droop already. I expected her to move away, go sleep on the cot. She didn't. She laid her head down on my lap like the previous night. I just looked down at her, tryin' to act like I didn't care whether she decided to fall asleep in my lap or not but in fact I did care, and I didn't mind in the least bit that she decided to stay put. I wanted her to stay right there. It felt right, though every instinct in my body told me to run like the fuckin' wind.

"Thanks, Daryl," she whispered sleepily. Within minutes, her breathing slowed to a rhythmic pace. She was out cold.

"You're welcome," I replied even though she couldn't hear me now. I got no idea why she thanked me to begin with. I never did nothin' worth being thankful for in the past. But I'm tryin' like hell to make up for those insecurities and mistakes while Beth's still in my arm, while she still needs me.

* * *

><p><strong><span>(Beth's POV)<span>**

_Constantly running, my hand held tight in Daryl's grip. Tree branches slammed into my face and it felt like a thousand needles piercing my body. He didn't let go though, not even when the walkers were gaining on us and all I was doing was slowing him down. I told him to run away, that I'd handle the walkers myself and I didn't care whether I lived or died._

_Daryl pulled me closer to him. I felt his grip tighten. His piercing blue eyes were literally searing the inside of my soul, those eyes which saw through me, knew me, protected me. "No way," he said._

_I didn't get a chance to say what I wanted. I wanted to tell Daryl I loved him and he was everything to me, that it's because of him I was still alive. There was a growling sound behind him. Then I saw the teeth, the blood and guts dripping around it's mouth, it's dull eyes. Daryl screamed in agony. So did I. But Daryl wasn't about to let me die. He pushed me away, pushing the walker at the same time. He threw me his crossbow while he knifed the walker through it's right eye. He swiveled around, pointing his knife at me. "You get out of here! Now! Get your fuckin' ass away from here!" _

_"No! I screamed, trying to throw myself at him, but it's like I was a string puppet, and the master puppeteer decided I wasn't going to be with Daryl till the end after all._

_I was pulled back, through time and space…descending into a world of darkness I can't even describe. _

My eyes flashed open. My breathing was erratic. I felt the sweat dripping off my forehead into my eyes, stinging them. But that was all alright. It meant I was still here, still alive.

I was still resting on Daryl's lap. He didn't move, and his breathing was steady. He was sleeping, _finally_, and I didn't want to wake him, so I just stayed put. It didn't matter if sleep didn't come to me again, not sure I wanted it to come back again anyway. That dream…As I replayed it in my mind's eye I felt a piece of an imaginary heart break away. Tears threatened to come. I didn't let them. No use cryin' over a stupid dream, right?

I let myself sink lower in Daryl's lap. He was still alive, still here with me. I would never allow my dream, my _nightmare_, come to fruition.

Daryl was still here. He would always be here. I needed him like I needed sleep.


End file.
